Notes for adults

Age 2 · 5 min · Easy

A coloring page featuring a chick hatching among flowers. Children explore colors and make their own marks with crayons.

Learning objectives

• Make marks on the page with a crayon.
• Point to or name the chick, egg, or a flower.
• Choose a color or show a preference.

What you need

• Printed page
• Thick, non-toxic crayons suitable for young children
• A table or another firm surface

Safety notes

An adult should supervise throughout the activity. Use thick, non-toxic crayons suitable for your child's age, and remove any small or broken pieces. Do not let your child put crayons in their mouth.

How to do it

1. Place the page and a few crayons on a firm surface.
2. Show your child the chick and name the egg and flowers.
3. Make a mark on the page to show how to use the crayon.
4. Let your child choose a crayon and color freely.
5. Talk about the colors and marks they make.
6. When your child is finished, admire the page together and put the materials away.

Teaching suggestions

• Say, “You made a long mark!” to celebrate your child's exploration.
• If holding the crayon is difficult, offer a thick crayon and let your child rest their arm on the table.
• Accept gestures, looks, and sounds as responses; your child does not need to name the pictures.
• Connect the picture to flowers or birds your child has seen.
• In a group, give each child a page and crayons, with an adult nearby.

Variations

• Easier: Offer one crayon at a time and invite your child to make any mark on the page.
• More challenging: Invite your child to choose different colors for the chick and flowers, without expecting precise coloring.
• Extension: Look for a flower together outside, in a book, or through a window, and talk about it.

Talk about it

• What do you see on the page?
• What color would you like to use?
• How do you think the chick moves?
• What do you notice about the flowers?

What to look for

• Notice whether your child makes marks with the crayon.
• Notice whether your child points to, looks at, or names part of the picture.
• Observe whether your child chooses or indicates a color.