Feb
Our son is nearly 2 (March 9th) and we’ve been trying to instruct him colours since about 15 months and he STILL doesn't get it. We try telling him the colour of pretty much everything all day long. He has Mega Blocks and we ask him to find the “green” one or the “blue” one but he can't. We also will hold the blocks and tell him the colours of them one at a time and then ask him to point to the “green” one etc. and he still can't. We have also tried teaching him the colours through actually colouring with crayons and markers.
How did you instruct your kids? Because nothing I’m doing is working!!!!
I should also add that there is a good chance he’s or will be colour blind because my dad is colour blind, meaning I carry the gene and can pass it on to my son. Could that be affecting this some how?
Answer:
Colors are tough to actually “teach”. Our daughter knew her colors by 12 months, but that's not usual. The typical age colors are learned is 3. Don't stress about it. He’ll get it. Just work on his strengths for now and come back to colors and you’ll see it clicks with him. There are books out there, the Priddy line of books that have WONderful color books with extraordinary pictures which is helpful. Repetition is key to kids learning that kind of stuff. With our daughter we just kept repeating and repeating and worked on 1 color until she got it. Don't try to do too many colors at once. I think working on 1 a day works well. So state this day is Green day, just point to everything no matter where you are and explain the green color. I did this at the grocery store, at the other stores, etc. In other words, you are always teaching pretty much. Our daughter picked up on it so fast that way. She's our only and I'm a stay at home mother, so I have nothing but concentrated time with her. =)
Answer:
Every child is different and develops at different ages. He could be a late starter, it is nothing to worry about. If he can't pick out colours closer to 2 1/2 - 3 years old then he might be color blind.
Keep playing with the Mega blocks, also use everyday items around you like the sky, fruit, shoes etc to help him along.
Answer:
i'm curious as to what other will state.. my son will be 2 next month and he can count to 10 and pick out some letters in the alphabet, but each color is “blue” with him.. we do the same things you do .. always working and teaching colors but no progress.. i too carry a color blind gene and found that interesting that you reminded me of that.. i was thinking of picking up a dvd for learning colors.. it's worth a try.. hopefully they’ll pick it up soon.
Answer:
yeah he is probs color blind. its all good, dont worry to much, its the differences in life that makes the world a beautiful place.
Answer:
I wouldn't worry about the possibility of any type of color blindness yet.
Some kids parrot and accept drill and skill really well (where they learn what you want them to state and just state it back). A friend's tiny girl will be 3 this summer and they just taught her how to spell her name, and she definitely will repeat the letters that make up her name, and do it swiftly. But, she has no real idea what it means and when they ask her to spell other things, she'll just spell her name over and over again. She learned 'they want me to say this weird combination of letters, so I will”, but she doesn't really understand it and can't apply it. Don't think that you’ve to drill and skill your son with colors.
A lot of small kids just learn superior in context, through real applications, than through drilling and skilling, and that's okay. I know it's harder to measure, and it seems like all of your teaching isn't working and he just doesn't get it, but don't worry. Give him some time, keep up with pointing out different colors, and one day he'll understand “oh wait! The cow has black spots and our vehicle is blue!”
Answer:
um… what did you anticipate from a child that age?
honestly, by carping at him so much, you're probably creating a training resistance - he's bored with the whole thing and has worked out that it's one thing he has the ultimate control over.
honestly? put him in a learning centre - a day care that’s more like a preschool - and let them do it. focus on the important stuff: being a nice, caring, compassionate person who loves his family and doesn't wear his underpants on his head.
at least, not in public.
quote:
Between two and three
Milestones
Identifies body parts
Carries on 'conversation' with self and dolls
Asks “what's that?” And “where's my?”
Uses 2-word negative phrases such as “no want”.
Forms some plurals by adding “s”; book, books
Has a 450 word vocabulary
Gives first name, holds up fingers to tell age
Combines nouns and verbs “mommy go”
Comprehends easy time concepts: “last night”, “tomorrow”
Refers to self as “me” rather than by name
Tries to get adult attention: “watch me”
Likes to hear same story repeated
Might state “no” when means “yes”
Talks to other children as well as adults
Solves problems by talking instead of hitting or crying
Answers “where” questions
Names common pictures and things
Uses short sentences like “me want more” or “me want cookie”
***Matches 3-4 colors, knows huge and little***
from http://www.ldonline.org/article/6313
ETA: my own daughter will be 3 in march. she's known colours such as “fuschia”, “aqua”, “beige”, and “grey” for months - easily since just after her 2nd birthday - but on the above list, she fails on a round half-dozen things because there's an excellent chance she has either asperger's or auditory processing disorder (based on my other two daughters).
but whatever - the important thing is that the preschool is working with her on the scholastic things and i'm at home with her working on the more fun things like putting together disney princess puzzles, drawing pictures on the chalkboard paint i put on the bedroom door and some of the walls, and spray-painting the dog with temporary hair dye.