Presentation

  1. 1

    Carry the box to the table and place it in front of you.

  2. 2

    Show how to hold a tablet: thumb and index finger on the edges, not on the colored part.

  3. 3

    Take out the tablets one at a time and place them at random in a column on the table.

  4. 4

    Pick up one tablet, look at it, then look along the others and choose its match.

  5. 5

    Place the pair side by side to the right, touching.

  6. 6

    Continue until three pairs are made; look along the pairs.

  7. 7

    Return the tablets to the box and invite the child.

Extensions, easiest to hardest

  1. Place one of each color on the table and give the child the others to pair.
  2. Match tablets to objects in the room of the same color.
  3. Bring the matching tablet from across the room.

Control of error

With only three colors, a wrong pair is obvious by sight; each tablet must have a partner that looks the same.

Ready to move on when the child…

  • Holds tablets by the edges
  • Pairs all three colors without hesitation
  • Returns the box ready for the next child

Guide note

Color blindness is more common in boys (about 1 in 12). If a child consistently confuses red and green later, tell the family.

Try “pink tower”, “tummy”, “diaper”, “grace and courtesy”, or “October”.