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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

DS doesn't seem to understand colours

16 replies

LadyStealthPolarBear · 30/08/2009 12:35

DS is 2y4m and doesn't seem to understand the concept of colour. He knows the names of colours and will answer with a colour when we're asking him "What colour is...?" but more often than not, it's red. So for example I eventually got him to understand his T-shirt was yellow, but when I held up an almost identical T-shirt and asked, the answer was "red".
Is this OK at this age, and when does it become worrying? Other than that I have no worries - he knows the names of most things, concepts such as turning things upside down, knows when he has one thing or two things...

OP posts:

Original poster

LadyStealthPolarBear · 30/08/2009 12:43

blue bump

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FlamingoBingo · 30/08/2009 12:44

He's young still - my DD3 (2y 8m) has only just learnt her colours and she's very bright.

It's easier to be blase about it when it's your third! But trust me, he'll do it when he's interested and ready.

Original poster

LadyStealthPolarBear · 30/08/2009 12:45

x post sorry!
Thanks, doesn't sound as though I need to worry. Just to clarify though, I don't think he even realises what we're getting at with things being "different colours", and it's that that concerns me, not that he doesn't know them iyswim.

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claw3 · 30/08/2009 12:47

I found with ds1 he couldnt tell me what colour it was if i asked, but if i asked him to get me x colour he could.

I would buy a packet of different coloured balloons, throw them all on the floor and ask him to go and get a certain colour, he was able to do this, but when i then asked him what colour it was, he couldnt tell me!

I think understanding of language develops quicker than speech.

He is 15 now and knows all of his colours, dont worry!

Original poster

LadyStealthPolarBear · 30/08/2009 12:49

never specifically tried that recently, so I will do, thanks

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Paolosgirl · 30/08/2009 12:54

I posted here about the same topic a few weeks ago! He's my third, and have been very blase about everything else, but the colour thing was really winding me up. He's 2.5 months, and so far has not grasped the colour thing at all - but I was reassured that it's very common for them not to know their colours at this age.

claw3 · 30/08/2009 12:55

For example i would ask him to get a red balloon and he could do this, when he handed it to me, i would ask him what colour and he would say blue or whatever! The important thing is that he can recognise the colour, naming the right colour will come later.

I think its probably quite common, so try not to worry.

clayre · 30/08/2009 13:01

my ds couldnt grasp clolours either, he could tell me individual colours but couldnt pick colours out of a picture, turns out he needed glasses and what a difference, he was able to pick colours from pictures.

Original poster

LadyStealthPolarBear · 30/08/2009 17:11

claw, tried that thanks and he was fine So I'm reassured! Like I said I don't mind if he doesn't know/say all the colours as long as he understands what we're talking about when things are different colours.

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FlamingoBingo · 30/08/2009 18:38

Get him sorting them. My DD3 could do this from a very young age (which was what reassured us that she was fine and would get her colours in time).

deaconblue · 30/08/2009 20:15

colour is very abstract. My friend's ds could only understand colours in terms of Thomas engines - so when shown something green he would say it was a Percy Tshirt. Learnt his numbers the same way - when shown the number 2 would say it was Edward.

Eveiebaby · 30/08/2009 20:19

My DD seemed to get colours a couple of weeks before her third birthday although I had been banging on about them for about 18 months beforehand! She was a lot quicker with letters and numbers. My understanding is that it is a three year old skill? Hope that helps

chimchar · 30/08/2009 20:24

my ds is just 3. he knows what colours are, and knows them if he has to pick one out of a group of ballons to use a pp example, but, if you ask him what colour the car is, he still goes through a whole random list before getting the right one! he has a great vocabulary, but is only just getting this....your ds will get there over the coming months.

claw3 · 31/08/2009 00:51

Ladystealth - If he can bring you colours you ask for he already knows his colours

Most kids pick up nonverbal learning quicker than verbal learning. He will be naming them in no time.

Play lots of colour games and have fun.

missingthemountains · 31/08/2009 19:51

my DS has just finally learnt his primary colours - and he's nearly 5!!! he is very bright otherwise and has perfect colour vision (tested loads) he got lots of other colours first (pink, brown, grey) and then just last week he started reliably identifying red, green, blue and yellow - just in time for school!

Original poster

LadyStealthPolarBear · 01/09/2009 12:02

That's what I meant, thanks claw Just meant I'm not bothered if he occassionally calls green blue or whatever as long as I'm reassured he understands what makes the two blocks different iyswim - and he does seem to, to some extent.
Thanks everyone

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