One of my favorite Signing Time earworms (i.e. song that sticks in your head on repeat) is “The Rainbow Song“. It’s a great song for practicing basic color identification. It’s fun to sing, easy to remember and relates colors to everyday items in our world. “The Rainbow Song,” like any earworm, is not without it’s hazards. If you are a ROYGBIV fan, like I am, beware. This song comes with the added challenge of not using spectrum of light to define color order. The lyrics mention purple before blue. Even so, this song will have you ready to grab a “Box of Crayons” and get rainbow crafty.
In June, rainbows play a special role in our communities as many celebrate Pride month. As rainbow flags unfurl in parades and on doorsteps across our communities, Pride month offers a unique opportunity to celebrate and explore our vibrant, diverse community. As you practice your colors this month, here are a few colorful books and activities to consider.
The Mixed Up Chameleon
“The Mixed Up Chameleon” by Eric Carle a story time classic. It is fun to read and inspires layers of conversation. The book follows a bored chameleon who eats flies all day. The chameleon goes to the zoo and soon wishes to change into a different animal. His wishes all comes true. He gets fish fins, a giraffe’s neck, a pair of flippers, and so on. The chameleon, with all his wishes granted, is now unable to eat a fly that passes by. It wishes it was a chameleon again and his wish comes true. He returns to being who he is. This book has inspired many fun crafting and learning projects. One of my favorites is this colorful chameleon rotating plate presented here by Tippy Toe Crafts. This is a great book that touches on happiness, change, and personal identity.
A Color of His Own
“A Color of His Own” by Leo Lionni is a beautiful story that follows a chameleon who searches for his true color and discovers community and friendship along the way. The chameleon in this story is sad that he cannot move around without changing color. He tries to stay one color by staying on one leaf and not moving. It works for a time, but then the seasons start to change. The leaf turns to yellow, then to red, and the little chameleon changes color too. He befriends another chameleon and they set off on a new life of adventure. This book celebrates the journey of self-discovery and the importance of friendship. It’s a favorite on many bookshelves. 1+1+1=1 has created a fun supplemental packet with coloring activities to accompany this book.
PRIDE The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag
“PRIDE The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag” by Rob Sanders shares origin of the Pride Flag. The book is vibrant and full of beautiful illustrations by Steven Salerno. It is a good book for those who are looking to share the story and history of the Pride flag with young readers. The book’s theme is hope. It centers on a Harvey Milk quote, “You have to give them Hope.” It provides a beautiful window into the resilience of community. To broaden the conversation on cultivating hope you might also consider Julia Cook’s book, “A Flicker of Hope,” and check out this great accompanying printable.
The Family Book
The Family Book by Todd Parr is a beautiful work that features Parr’s bright, colorful, and imaginative artwork. Todd Parr’s artwork uses color and shape in distinctively joyful ways. This book presents families of all shapes, sizes, and composition. It builds on the theme that love is what creates family. The book shows families of different ages, races, origins, and genders. Learn how to create your own Family Book by visiting Book Inspired Play.
What are your favorite rainbow crafts and books? We would love to see what you are crafting this month!
Need some inspiration to get crafting with your kids? Our Rachel & Me and Art Time series include drawing and crafting in every episode! Plus, our Rachel and the Tree Schoolers episodes and workbooks that come with your subscription include experiments and crafts you can do with everyday items around your house.
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Listen While You Craft and Create
Did you know you can listen to your favorite My Signing Time songs while you craft without screen time? You can continue to practice what you have learned watching Baby Signing Time, Signing Time and Rachel and the Tree Schoolers without burning through your little ones screen time limit. All of your favorite Rachel Coleman tunes are now available on Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music.