31/05/2025
IF YOU STILL POINT AND TELL, STOP IT.
WHY “THIS IS RED” AND “THIS IS ONE” DOES NOT WORK AND WHAT YOU SHOULD DO.
Children are wired to learn, and one primary way they learn is by doing and in context.
Often, I see parents trying to maximize this window (0-6) to teach their children ‘everything’ and are doing it the ‘wrong way.’
Reading and counting are among the top pursuits in academic development in the early years for many parents. So, you see a child reading ABCD to Z and counting numbers. We lace them with songs and play so it will sink in, and we call it learning.
We are happy when a child can count and read A to Z, until you toss them a book or ask them to count objects; then you see that they cannot.
What could be the problem? And how can we correct this?
When you point to something and say “This is red,” or “this is 1,” you’re essentially giving a label without context. For young children, especially under age 6, language is still developing. They need concrete experiences to understand abstract concepts.
So, let’s look at the “THIS IS RED.”
The word "red" is just a sound to them unless they’ve had repeated sensorial experiences with red.
Your child may not know whether what you're referring to is "red," the color, the object, the shape, or something else.
Immediate naming or telling doesn’t allow the child to make the discovery themselves, which is a key motivator in learning.
If this does not work, what does?
Try this: Sort, Explore, Name.
Instead of telling your child the names of colors upfront, create an interactive experience using colored objects, bottle caps, or daily materials.
First, isolate the concept (Sorting).
Here, children are presented with a set of objects that differ only in color (e.g., red, blue, yellow bottle caps, pompoms, or cars). Invite your child to match and sort them.
Remember sorting activities.
This lets your child focus entirely on color as the variable, without distractions from shape, size, or language.
Your child’s hands are engaged in the process, which reinforces visual and tactile learning.
Your child is discovering patterns: “These two are the same,” which is the beginning of classification and reasoning.
Secondly, let them experience before naming.
After they’ve worked with colors and can consistently sort or match them, the adult introduces the names during or after the experience.
✏️ “This one is red. Would you like to find another red one?”
This timing is powerful:
📌 It honors the child’s natural curiosity and readiness.
📌 Naming becomes meaningful because it connects to a personal experience.
📌 Language sticks better when it labels a concept the child already understands sensorially.
Lastly, Three-Period Lesson.
This is a classic technique used by Montessori educators for naming vocabulary, called the Three-Period Lesson:
“Let thy word be counted” - Dante
1. Introduction:
Give the child the name of the color: “This is red.”
2. Recognition:
Ask your child to show, touch, or give you: “Can you give me the red one?”
3. Recall:
What is this? Pointing to the red one: “What is this?”
Repeat for other colors or objects.
This gentle, layered method supports memory, understanding, and expressive language.
Why does this supersede and work better than telling?
👍 Engagement: Children love sorting and matching. It feels like play, not work.
👍 Independence: You are not telling them. They make discoveries on their own, which builds confidence.
👍 Relevance: Language is introduced when it's needed, in context, and meaningful.
👍 Deep Learning: Instead of memorizing color names, children understand the concept and apply it in real-world contexts.
So, instead of telling “This is red,” start with experience.
Offer color-rich materials (colored blocks, objects, fabrics: Indirect learning.)
Let your child explore, sort, and match without naming anything at first.
Introduce names when they’re ready, using the Three-Period Lesson.
Keep it fun, brief, and pressure-free.
Learning is not about information transfer; it’s about discovery. And when a child discovers a color and then hears its name, it’s no longer just “red”; it’s THEIR red. That’s what makes it joyful and unforgettable.
Does this help?
Try it and share your experience.
’ttell
