Explore the colors of the rainbow with crayons and feathers in this fun activity for toddlers and preschoolers. The creative play includes singing, sorting, and sensory play for a hands-on experience with colors and textures.

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Red and yellow and pink and green..... 

This is the start of a fun rainbow song, with a couple different versions on YouTube. Can you name the other colors?

In this art activity, feathers and crayons make a great combination for sensory and math play.

This rainbow activity can be largely child-led.

• Set out the materials, allow time for kids to explore and create, then guide them in learning through play.
  
  
• Don't worry if the rainbow your preschooler creates doesn't match the pattern you had in mind! It's not important to get the rainbow "right". Kids will benefit from strengthening early development skills as they sing, and sort and count the feathers.

Kids will learn to recognize and name colors as you ask questions and interact with the materials.

How many red feathers do you see?

What is your favorite color?

How does the green feather feel?

Rainbow crafts provide fun opportunities for kids to explore color and texture. Add music to the activity to increase fun and engagement!

Feather Rainbow Activity

I Can Sing A Rainbow is a catchy tune that names the colors of the rainbow in the lyrics. You can find the song on YouTube.

Listen to the song together. Then sing along as you choose feathers for the colors of the rainbow as depicted in the lyrics of the song.

Or simply create a rainbow on your own without directions.

Supplies for a feather rainbow

• construction paper

• feathers
  
  
• dots

• glue

• crayons

 Instructions for feather rainbow activities

There are a few different ways to engage kids with feather activities.

1. Match feathers to rainbow made with crayons or markers.

Draw lines with crayons on a sheet of paper to represent the colors of the rainbow.

You can draw the lines beforehand for younger children, while older kids can do this step themselves.

As you sing the song, kids match a feather to the corresponding line on the paper.

• Since pink is named in the song I wanted it to be an option as a color choice. There have been sightings of rainbows with marvelous pink hues. The pink appears with a little help from the blending of red and violet so it's a fun bit of learning to add to the activity.

2. Match feather to dots.

Use self-adhesive dots to display the colors of the rainbow. Match a feather to each dot.

3. Make a rainbow picture.

Glue feathers in place to make a rainbow picture.

• Start with a red feather, the first color named in the song. Continue playing the song, pausing the music after each color so you can glue the corresponding feather to the picture.

Point to each feather already glued onto the paper as you sing. 

Don't be too concerned about the order of the colors. Allow your child the freedom to explore the materials and sensory experiences.  

Rainbow crafts provide wonderful opportunities for kids to experience colors and textures.

Be creative while enjoying the music and the sensory play, and engaging fine motor and language skills. 

Let's see if we can name all the colors of the rainbow!

Rainbow board on Pinterest

More from Preschool Toolkit

Colorful Spider and Web

 Rainbow Octopus

Rainbow crafts from kid-friendly bloggers 

Craft sticks rainbow from Easy Peasy and Fun

Tissue paper rainbow from Happy Hooligans

Fused bead rainbow from Fireflies and Mudpies