You’ve heard it before—“He’s learning his colors!”
It’s often one of the first things a parent shares during an evaluation or a check-in.
And honestly? That’s awesome. Unless you’re giving the PLS-5. (iykyk)
When parents tell us their child is learning colors, it actually gives us insight into a few things. The child can label, likely has a fairly good working memory, and has some visual learning skills. In speech therapy, we take what a child knows and help them use it to connect, request, describe, expand, and interact.
Learning Colors in Speech Therapy
There’s been a big push in our field to focus on functional words, rightfully so. Just because a child can label colors doesn’t mean they can communicate.
But, I challenge you to look at this from another perspective: colors can be functional—when we use them with intention.
Toddlers are sponges; they learn from their environment, what they hear, and what they are exposed to. Many toys, t.v. shows, and preschool songs talk about colors, shapes, and letters. While these words and concepts are important, it doesn’t always lead to functional communication.
That’s why in speech therapy for toddlers, building functional communication is the main focus. Functional vocabulary words [via spoken language, gesture, sign language, or visuals] help children request, protest, comment, or interact with those around them.
The good news is we don’t have to completely ignore the words a child has; including colors. We can use their current inventory to support functional communication.
Intentional Colors
Let’s explore different ways you can take a child’s existing understanding of colors and build functional communication and speech therapy goals you can target with each.
[these are also great ideas for parent and caregiver carry-over]
1. Making Choices:
- Instead of “what is this?” or “what do you want?”
- “Do you want the red car or the blue car?”
- “Should we open the orange play-doh or purple play-doh?”
- For extra support, provide a visual, model a sign or gesture, and acknowledge the child’s response.
- Remember, responses will vary and can be as subtle as an eye gaze or obvious as a reach for the container they choose.
Goals targeted: labeling, requesting, making a choice, and joint attention [pretty functional if you ask me!]
2. Expanding Utterances:
- Expanding a child’s use of words in phrases and sentences is often a big part of speech therapy for toddlers. Colors are a great way to expand utterances!
- Want blue block
- Green car go!
- Model language, provide visuals, AAC, and sentence strips are great ways to encourage a child to use 2-3 word phrases
Goals Targeted: expanding utterances, labeling, and requesting
3. Descriptive Language:
- Colors are an excellent bridge to descriptors. Pair them with other object attributes:
- Big blue truck
- Soft pink blanket
- Sticky purple glue
Using colors as early descriptors helps children learn to describe their world and sets them up for future story-telling and grammar skills.
Goals Targeted: Vocabulary, expanding utterances, making requests, answering questions
4. Conversation Skills:
- Labeling colors during play is a great way to model turn-taking and create simple conversation.
- I want green!
- You have the red car. My car is blue.
- Do you see the purple ball?
Goals: turn-taking, simple conversation, labeling, use of gestures, and answering questions
Putting it into Practice:
You don’t have to spend your sessions teaching colors— use them.
If you’re looking for an easy way to use colors in speech therapy for toddlers, my Learning Colors Activities set is a great place to start.
It’s designed to go beyond basic labeling— use color words to request, expand utterances, match items, describe, and make choices.
It includes:
- Matching mats
- Sorting activities
- Interactive mini books
- Visuals for supporting building functional communication
- Engaging activities that easily adapt to any language goals
It’s low-prep, fun, and gives you endless opportunities to build functional language!
Try before you buy!
Fill out the form below, and I’ll send you a FREE preview of the activities to try out in your next session.
