Materials
Several variant paint chip cards in the same color family (purple)
Construction paper
Marker
Scissors
Glue stick
Directions
Using the marker and construction paper, make a very basic chart, consisting of a line down the length-wise center of the paper, and a few lines cross-wise on the paper. Cut two identical shapes of each color you’re going to put on your chart. Use the glue stick to glue one of the matching shapes on the left side of the first box. Put the other one in a little bowl or basket. Continue on in the same way, gluing one of your pair of shapes to the chart, and putting the other one in the basket. When you’ve finished gluing the shapes, hand your preschooler the basket of shapes and let him place the matching pairs in the correct boxes, side by side with the matching color. Be careful not to include colors that are so closely related that it’s difficult for an adult to tell if they match! Preschoolers are not able to differentiate such minimal changes in shades yet. And if you don’t want to make a chart, you can cut the paint chip cards in half, giving your child half the cards, while you keep the other half. Have him lay his cards in front of him on the floor. Hand one of your cards to him and let him find the match. Continue on in this way, until you have no more cards and he’s made all the matches!