If you ask me my favorite color, I’ll tell you it’s rainbow. Putting things in color order makes me so happy! And that’s what these printable color matching cards are all about. Well, that and learning the words for the colors in the rainbow!

Montessori classrooms use cards like this to help children connect words with the things those words represent. And they aren’t only for kids who are already reading! In this case, the cards teach colors and give you the chance to help little ones learn all about ROYGBIV.

• Card stock and/or paper
• Scissors
• Crayons or markers
• Rainbow Color Matching Cards templates (download here)
• Rainbow Coloring Cards templates (download here)

Print the pages from the color matching PDF onto card stock.

There are three parts to each of the matching sets. For each color of the rainbow there is a card with the picture and the word, a card with only the picture, and one with only the word. Cut all the cards apart.

Divide the cards into three piles with the cards mixed.

Now there are a several ways to use these cards, but the basic idea is to match pictures and words.

When Montessori classrooms use cards like this, students start with the most complete card. In this case, it would be the full rainbow.

Have your child find the full rainbow card with the picture and the word. Next, have them find the card with only the picture of the rainbow and place it on top of the first card. Finally it’s time to find the card with only the word ‘rainbow’.

Even if your child can’t read yet, they can learn how to look for the words that match. This process will help them connect the words with the pictures and start to gain sight words!

Continue working through all the cards, matching the colors, pictures, and words.

The cards with the words and pictures act as a way to make matches, while ensuring that the answers are correct. But as your child is better at reading the words and making matches, you can set the largest cards aside.

If you want to encourage learning the ROYGBIV color order, you can ask your child to place the cards in order. Do this either as they are matching the cards or after they are finished.

You can extend this activity with the Rainbow Coloring Cards PDF. Print out a page (or two) of blank rainbows and grab some ROYGBIV crayons or markers.

Have your child start by matching the cards to the colors.

Now they can color their own rainbows! For even more color and word practice, invite them to color a set of cards like the printed set. For each card, they can color one stripe of the rainbow and then write the color word underneath.

Because these cards work in different ways, this is an activity that you’ll want to pull out from time to time. As your child learns and grows, they will experience the rainbow in new ways!

Happy color matching!