Looking for fun rainbow activities for kids? This Build a Rainbow Game is the perfect way to celebrate the arrival of springtime!
Working with manipulatives is an awesome way for kids to build grasping and in-hand manipulation skills, as they pick up, turn, and orient the small pieces in their hands.
This game would pair perfectly with our Rainbow Interactive Movement Game or our Rainbow Movement Scavenger Hunt!
If you’re trying this game as part of a rainbow theme around St. Patrick’s Day, check out this printable leprechaun note that kids can use as they build their own leprechaun traps!
Below, find the instructions for one of our favorite rainbow games for preschoolers and young kids! This one is great to add to your list of rainbow fine motor activities for the spring season!
Looking for ways to keep kids busy and entertained on a rainy day? Check out our favorite rainy day activities for kids!
Build a Rainbow Game
What you’ll need:
-Paperclip
-Brad fastener or pencil
-Printable rainbow (print and laminate)
-Printable spinner (print, cut out, and laminate)
-Small, colored objects to build your rainbow (e.g. buttons, pom poms, beads, etc).
Scroll down and fill out the form to have the game sent right to your inbox!
What to do:
Version 1
The object of this rainbow game is to see who can finish building their rainbow first, filling up each colored stripe with small colored objects.
Punch a hole in the middle of the spinner and secure a paperclip to the spinner using a brad fastener (fasten loosely so that the paperclip spins). Or, simply hold a pencil in the middle of the spinner with the tip of the pencil holding the middle of the paperclip in place as you spin.
Each child takes a turn spinning the spinner. If the spinner lands on red, the child will choose one of the red objects and place it on one of the red spaces on his rainbow. Repeat until all of the spaces on the rainbow are full.
Whoever fills their rainbow up first wins!!
Version 2
Try playing the rainbow game as a team! Place one rainbow printable in the middle of the table with the colored objects. Have kids take turns spinning the spinner and placing the objects on the matching colored stripes until the rainbow is complete!
How to change it up:
-Work on in-hand manipulation skills when you’re cleaning up your rainbow boards. See if kids can pick up several of their colored manipulatives using only one hand. Encourage them to pick up the objects one at a time with their fingers and then tuck them away into their palm.
Skill areas addressed:
Fine motor skills, cognitive skills, visual motor integration, visual perceptual skills, grasp, coordination
More Fun Rainbow Themed Activities for Kids
Healthy Rainbow Snacks for Preschool and Young Kids
These fun rainbow snacks for kids are the perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and the arrival of spring!
Rainbow Scavenger Hunt [FREE PRINTABLE]
Kids will love moving their bodies in different ways to find the different colored objects on the free printable.
Rainbow Parachute Games
Use the fun poem to guide kids through a springtime story using different movements with a rainbow parachute!
Rainbow Interactive Movement Game
In this simple movement game for younger kids, the main character is looking for the missing colors of his rainbow! Kids click through the pages and perform different movements as they retrieve objects of different colors to complete the rainbow.
Find all of our rainbow themed activities for kids here!
