Colouring Shapes

Class 1

Students will be able to colour using crayons.

1)  Fine motor skills: Children should have developed the fine motor skills necessary to hold a crayon properly and make small movements with their hands to colour.
2)  Hand-eye coordination: Children should be able to coordinate their hand movements with their vision to be able to colour within the lines without any gaps.
3)  Attention span: Children should have the ability to focus for an extended period of time to complete a colouring task. However, this can vary from child to child.
4)  Children should be able to identify basic shapes and colours.

NOTE: Adaptations, Variation in Rules and Pace are suggested below to develop the above prerequisites.

  1. Colouring Shapes worksheet
  2. Crayons – Red, Orange, Green and Blue
  1. Download the Colouring Shapes worksheet provided below
  2. Print the worksheet. Ensure that there are enough copies for all children. Multiple copies can be made by photocopying too.
  3. Please ensure that all children have red, orange, green and blue crayons.
  4. Please keep ready the Adapted Worksheet as required for your Inclusive Classroom. Details of creating these adaptations yourself is provided below.
  5. Go through the suggestions provided for Variation of Rules and Pace and Adaptations and ensure necessary preparation accordingly.

Preparing will help you to conduct an effective activity in an inclusive classroom and achieve the goal.

This is a classroom activity. All children can colour the worksheets individually. However, children who need peer support can work with their peers.

  1. Teacher may first demonstrate the colours red, orange, green and blue that will be used in this activity. This can be done by showing the crayons or objects of the same colours
  2. Teachers may use the LTM – Colour Flashcards that are provided below.
  3. Ask the children to identify the colours.
  4. Encourage and appreciate the children for their answers.
  5. Demonstrate on the board as to how the shape is to be coloured within the outlines and without leaving any gaps. 

View and Download

Click and watch the videos. These videos are to be shown to children before the activity. When there are children with hearing impairment in the inclusive class, use the video with Indian Sign Language (ISL)

Children can be assessed based on the following parameters:

  1. Appropriate choice of colours
  2. Neatness, colouring within the outline
  3. Area of application of colour is filled completely and evenly
  4. Completes the colouring within the given time
  • This activity can aid in mathematics class to reinforce the concept of basic shapes – rectangle, square, triangle and circle.
  • Encourage and appreciate the children for their answers.
  • Ensure that the children are colouring the worksheets using the right colour specified by the teacher.
  • Go around the class and ensure that the children are grasping the crayon in the right manner.

Tripod grip is the right grip –

  • The teacher should identify the Hand dominance of the child and encourage the child to do colouring with that hand.
  • Once finished, appreciate the colouring work done by the children.
  • Hand dominance of the child – do the colouring with the dominant hand

The Variability of an Inclusive Environment needs to address the processing and attention differences of the learners. An inclusive environment may have learners with Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment, Loco-Motor Impairment and Cognitive Differences. Learners not only learn in different ways, but they also have unique motivations, interests, personalities and strengths. To address this variability, providing the appropriate adaptation is an effective solution.

When working with special children, it is important to adapt the rules and pace to their specific needs. Here are some suggestions:

  1. Vary the rules: Depending on the child’s abilities, you can adapt the rules for colouring. For example, if a child has difficulty staying within the lines, you could allow them to colour freely or with a larger outline.
  2. Vary the pace: Some children may need more time to complete colouring tasks than others. It may be helpful to break up the task into smaller parts, providing regular breaks or alternate activities to avoid frustration or fatigue. You can also use a timer to help the child pace themselves and feel a sense of accomplishment as they work towards completing the task.
  3. Provide additional support: For children with fine motor difficulties, you can provide adaptive tools such as pencil grips, raised grip crayons to help them better grasp and manipulate the crayon. Reference for these adaptive tools is provided in the video
  4. Provide positive feedback: It is important to provide positive feedback throughout the colouring activity to build the child’s confidence and motivation. Be specific and provide feedback for effort, progress, and quality of work.

Children can learn and sing this human value song by watching the provided video. Teachers may discuss the human values in the song and drive home the importance of smiling, sharing and caring.

Apple is red and sweet, the grass is green and cool
Sun is orange and bright, sky is blue and clear
Let’s all be sweet and smiling, sharing and caring
Stay cool and spread love making life wonderful.

A social narrative is a tool used to help individuals with special needs, particularly those on the autism spectrum, better understand social situations and how to appropriately respond to them. Here is a social narrative about using crayons only for colouring. The student has the habit of putting crayons inside the mouth due to sensory issues.

To make the student understand that crayon is for colouring and he/she should not bite them..

Click to access Social Narrative

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Source and Attribution of images
All images used in the above Assets and Aids are originally created.

This digital material has been developed by the Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini Inclusive Education Project, a unit of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam, as a collaborative offering in the service of our nation.