Rainbows are a popular concept in the toddler and preschool years. They are everywhere! Rainbow pictures are on clothes, toys, school bags and lunch boxes. You can even see real rainbows in the sky!
Some children are fascinated with the natural phenomenon of rainbows that appear from sunlight and rain. Other children are mainly attracted to bright, vivid colours. Either way, rainbows align with the Early Years Learning Framework. They inspire curiosity, imagination, creativity (4.1), researching and investigating (4.2). The EYLF also promotes respect for the natural environment (2.4).
Learning experiences
Pretend to be a rainbow
Children pretend to be rainbows by draping colourful scarves, ribbons, streamers or clothes over themselves, to represent the different colours of the rainbow.
They can also pretend to make a rainbow by using their hands to mimic the shape of a rainbow in the air.
Act out a story
Children act out scenes about rainbows. They can make up their own stories or try these suggestions:
- A child meets someone who is afraid of thunderstorms. They make this person feel better by explaining how rainbows are formed after storms.
- Children go on an imaginary treasure hunt. They slide down rainbows to find pots of gold at the bottom.
Play a game
Children play a game of I spy with a difference. They have to find objects that are a colour within the rainbow: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, or violet. Can you find objects to match all of these colours?
Make rainbows
Use the internet to research the science behind rainbows and learn about how the different colours are formed. Use this knowledge to make your own rainbows:
- Hold a CD up to the light and watch for the rainbow. Can you catch its reflection on a piece of white paper?
- Spray a hose on a sunny day, keeping the sun behind you. Can you catch the rainbow with your hands?
Photograph a rainbow
If you see a rainbow in your outdoor area, let the children take photos of it. Print and display the photo on your wall. The children can also use a photo-editing app, like Lightroom or Snapseed, to experiment with changing the saturation of the colours.
Eat a rainbow
Encourage children to eat healthy foods. Help them cut up and arrange a wide variety of ingredients into the shape of a rainbow.
- Red: Strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, watermelon, red capsicum.
- Orange: Oranges, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin.
- Yellow: Lemons, bananas, yellow capsicum, pineapple.
- Green: Spinach, kale, broccoli, green capsicum, avocado, green grapes.
- Blue/Purple: Blueberries, blackberries, purple grapes, plums.
Draw a rainbow
Draw a picture of a rainbow using oil pastels or chalk. Experiment with blending colours with your fingers or an eraser to create a more realistic rainbow.
Resources
Picture books
The Rainbow by Ros Moriarty
Music
Justine Clarke: Climbing up the rainbow
Websites
National Geographic: What is a rainbow?