Train Color Sorting Activity

This train color sorting activity is a fun way for young children to practice color recognition and sorting. My toddler and preschooler both enjoyed it!

This color sorting train is a great for kids to learn colors. They can also work on counting. A fun color recognition activity for toddlers and preschoolers!

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This month the featured book for the Virtual Book Club for Kids is The Little Engine That Could. My kids love this book!

As you know, I really love it when an activity can be differentiated to meet the needs of my toddler and my preschooler. To my surprise, this was one of those activities. My toddler enjoyed it, but my preschooler did too!

Supplies Needed:

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Preparing the Train Activity

  1. Cut the sheets of construction paper in half – except for the black one.
  2. Cut out two circles for each of the train cars from the black paper. These will be the wheels.
  3. Print out a picture of a train engine and trace it onto black paper. Then cut it out. You could also freehand it onto the black paper if you have more skills than I do.
  4. Put the train engine and train cars in order on the floor. I would recommend taping each piece down with painter’s tape so that they don’t slide around like ours did.
  5. Collect a bunch of small manipulatives and toys in the colors you used for the train cars.

This color sorting train is a super fun way to teach kids to recognize colors, learn to sort objects and count!

Train Color Sorting Activity

I placed a pile of manipulatives on the ground next to the train and then encouraged my toddler and preschooler to sort the objects out to the corresponding train cars. My toddler loved doing this. She got a kick out of matching the colors.

Learning colors with a train activity for kids. Using math manipulatives to count and learn colors.

To my surprise, my preschooler enjoyed doing this too. I extended the learning for him by asking him to add a certain number of items to a train car or to count the items in each of the train cars.

Sorting colors and counting with a hands-on train activity.

I love that this is so simple to pull out and use again. It takes me about two minutes to lay the train cars out and gather the manipulatives.

Learning colors with a color sorting train. A great activity for The Little Engine That Could!

Check out all of the other The Little Engine That Could Activities below!

Train Themed Treat for Kids by Toddler Approved

The Little Engine that Could ABC Activity by Growing Book by Book

Train Color Sorting Activity by Mom Inspired Life

I Think I CAN Sight Word Activity by Still Playing School

Train Challenge with The Little Engine That Could by Preschool Powol Packets

Train Science with the Little Engine that Could by Inspiration Laboratories

Tracing Shapes with Trains by I Can Teach My Child

Easy to Make Train Math Game by 3 Dinosaurs

Counting with Trains from Rainy Day Mum

Build a Train Game from Mama Miss

Train Shapes Activity from The Pleasantest Thing

STEAM: The Little Engine That Could from Study at Home Mama

Snowflake Number Train Game from the Educators’ Spin On It

Here are some more color learning activities I think you will enjoy!

Roll a Color Alphabet Game

Monster Munch Color Sorting Activity

Flower Hunt by Color Activity