Feather Rainbow Color Sorting Activity for Preschoolers
Kids can easily create a beautiful rainbow with colorful feathers. This is a fun sensory activity for toddlers and preschoolers that combines singing, bright colors and soft feathers.
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Are you familiar with the song, I Can Sing a Rainbow ?
It's a catchy tune that includes the colors of the rainbow in the lyrics. You can find several different versions of the song on YouTube.
Listen to the song together before doing this activity. Then sing along as you choose feathers for the colors of the rainbow as depicted in the lyrics of the song.
Feather Rainbow Activity
Note: This post has been updated from its original format to provide better content. The images have been improved and the text clarified to optimize the activity for you and your early learners.
In this post we show how to use feathers and crayons in a craft and music activity.
Supplies for feather rainbow
- construction paper
- feathers
- glue
Instructions for a feather rainbow activity
There are a few different ways to engage kids, with options for activities and a craft.
Rainbow activities
1. 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 but older kids can do this step themselves.
As you sing the song, kids can match a feather to the corresponding line on the paper.
You'll notice I have a pink feather added to the rainbow. Since it's 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.
I chose to eliminate indigo from this activity.
2. Use self-adhesive dots to display the colors of the rainbow. Kids can match a feather to each dot.
Older children can print the words for the colors next to the dots with a matching crayon or colored pencil.
Rainbow craft
3. Glue feathers in place to make a rainbow picture.
Start with a red feather, the first color named in the song. Glue the feather onto your paper. 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.
It's OK to be creative while enjoying the music and the sensory play, and engaging fine motor and language skills.
Rainbow board on Pinterest
Rainbow crafts provide wonderful opportunities for kids to experience colors and textures.
It's not important to get the rainbow "right". Kids will benefit from strengthening cognitive skills as they sing, and sort and count the feathers.
Above all, kids should have fun exploring the materials and creating a beautiful picture.
More from Preschool Toolkit
Rainbow crafts from kid-friendly bloggers
Craft sticks rainbow from Easy Peasy and Fun
Printable rainbow crafts from Kids Activities Blog
Tissue paper rainbow from Happy Hooligans
Fused bead rainbow from Fireflies and Mudpies