Free Printable Color Sorting Mats
Are you looking for a way to make learning colors fun for preschoolers? Look no further than our free printable color sorting mats!
Kids can explore rainbow colors and early concepts like primary colors and shapes with fun mats and sorting cards.
With bright colors, fun designs, and classic illustrations, preschoolers will love sorting colorful objects into the right places.
Whether they’re playing alone or with friends and family, these free preschool printables can help young minds develop at an early age.
Free Printable Color Sorting Mats
Teaching preschoolers about colors through color sorting activities can be a fun and exciting way to learn.
Color sorting mats let children explore the rainbow, recognize primary colors and basic shapes, and develop their cognitive skills.
With all the benefits color sorting offers preschoolers, it’s no wonder that this activity is so popular!
What’s Included?
This color sorting printable features eleven colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, brown, white, gray, and pink.
Each card features a child wearing the color and the color word. There are 66 color cards featuring six items for each of the eleven colors featured.
What You’ll Need
- printer and paper
- laminating supplies (optional)
- scissors or paper cutter
- velcro dots (optional)
Preparing the Activity
Print out each sorting mat and card. I suggest printing them on cardstock for stability. Then, I would laminate them for durability.
Cut each of the sorting mats out so that it is all one large card. Cut the cards apart so that you end up with 66 individual cards.
Attach velcro dots to sorting mats and color cards for a portable activity (great for restaurants or church). Easy and convenient!
Completing the Activity
The activity itself is pretty straightforward. Your child will match each color card to its corresponding color sorting mat. There are a variety of ways to differentiate the activity, though.
For young preschoolers, start with one color at a time. Talk about the color. Show your child the color sorting mat and the color word. Introduce color words to preschoolers; focus is on familiarity, not reading or spelling.
Talk about things the same color as the one you’re discussing. Children may recognize items matching the featured color from their surroundings.
Discuss prior knowledge, then introduce color cards (starting with the featured color). Have your child name each item as she adds it to the mat. “An apple is red. A bow is red.”
Once your child is familiar with those items, introduce the color cards for a second color. Mix them up, and let your choose which ones go on the color sorting mat you’re working with.
As kids get comfortable with cards, introduce two or three mats at a time along with matching color cards.
Mix them up and let your child sort them accordingly. For an extra challenge, use three mats and four sets of cards, ensuring some cards have no corresponding mat.
When your child is proficiently sorting multiple cards/mats at once, add the entire set to a center or quiet time box for your child to use independently.
Why is color sorting important?
Color sorting activities for preschoolers are imperative to their learning and development. Preschool teachers can introduce color recognition in a hands-on way by providing kids with stimulating, fun tasks that involve matching colors, shapes, and sizes.
With the help of interactive activities to sort colors on mats or other visual aids, toddlers and young children can acquire the foundations of color identification which will later become useful skills in their academic career.
Color sorting also encourages problem solving while giving youngsters an opportunity to improve fine motor skills such as grasping and sorting objects by size or color.
All in all, these activities open up a world of learning opportunities for the littlest learners.
Preschool Books About Colors
Picture books can be a great way to teach preschoolers color recognition. From classic children’s stories with vibrant illustrations to modern stories with interactive elements, there are many wonderful picture books that introduce young minds to the world of colors.
While building reading skills, these books also help little ones learn the names and shades of various colors. By taking kids on a journey through each hue and creating memorable characters associated with each color, picture books make learning fun and engaging.
With captivating storylines and amusing characters, these books inspire children to explore and understand the multiple facets of color in a way that will stay with them for years to come.
Mix It Up! is a delightful interactive picture book that invites young readers to dive into the world of colors. With engaging text and vibrant illustrations, author Hervé Tullet encourages kids to experiment with mixing colors right on the page, sparking their creativity and imagination. This fun-filled adventure not only teaches about color theory but also inspires hands-on learning, making it a perfect addition to any child’s book collection.
In The Day the Crayons Quit, author Drew Daywalt brings to life the colorful world of Duncan’s crayons, who decide they’ve had enough and go on strike! Each crayon writes a letter to Duncan expressing their grievances, from feeling overworked to being neglected. Through humor and creativity, this imaginative tale not only entertains but also teaches valuable lessons about empathy, communication, and the importance of seeing things from different perspectives.
In The Mixed Up Chameleon, Eric Carle takes readers on a whimsical journey with a chameleon who dreams of being more like other animals. With each encounter, the chameleon’s wish to possess the unique characteristics of various creatures comes true, but soon finds himself in a confusing and chaotic state. Through colorful illustrations and a heartwarming narrative, Carle imparts a timeless message about the beauty of embracing one’s own individuality and the importance of being true to oneself.
Our printable color sorting mats offer a fun and educational way for children to learn about colors while enhancing their cognitive and fine motor skills. With engaging activities and vibrant visuals, these mats provide endless opportunities for exploration and discovery.
Whether used in the classroom or at home, they will spark joy and excitement as young learners immerse themselves in the world of colors.
Sign in or sign up below to access the free printables.
Tara is the brains behind Homeschool Preschool, where her journey from preschool and public school teacher to homeschooling mom of three fuels her passion for early childhood education. With a blend of expertise and firsthand experience, Tara’s writings offer practical tips and engaging resources to support families in creating meaningful learning adventures at home.
I love many of your ideas but I am easily frustrated about how difficult it is to print the items I love. It seems I read and read and read through the entire post and cannot find the “print” button. I see where it tells me to click here to sign in or sign up but I am already a “follower”. Can you help me access these things more easily? What am I missing?
Thanks so much!!
I’m so glad you enjoy our activities. All of my free content requires you to sign in or sign up to unlock the printables. Once you sign in for the free printable color sorting mats at the bottom of the page, you’ll be redirected to the download page. Enjoy!
i can’t find it too.. can you help me?
Simply scroll down to the sign-in/sign-up section on the page to unlock the freebie—let me know if you need any further assistance!
Great activities😊
Why can’t we get the printables easy, instead of searching?
To easily access the printables, just scroll down the page to the sign-in or sign-up section to unlock them right away!
Very useful.
I’m glad you found it useful! If you ever need more ideas or resources, feel free to reach out anytime. 😊
Thank you so much for this super fun activity!
You are very welcome! Enjoy!
Having trouble downloading this color sort activity. Could someone give me a direct link.
Scroll to the bottom of the blog post until you see the statement “Sign in or sign up below” in blue text. Then, sign in or sign up to go to the download page.
Thank you
These work great in my classroom.
Thank you for such all the great resources
Thank you for sharing I work at a daycare and these are so helpful.
Your activity characters are so cute. I love this activity! Thanks!!
I love this color sorting activity.
thanks for sharing, its so usefull for my kids 🙂