Written by: Publicity Assistant Yang Lenu

Photography by: Sun Xiujin, Instructor at Houku Parenting School Play Center

I. The Growth Puzzles of Young Children

      In the daily operations of the Houku Parenting School Play Center, children face two key hurdles in their development: first, their color cognition generally remains at a basic level, making it challenging for them to connect colors with real objects when painting; second, weak language expression leads many children to rely on body movements instead of speech, with some even refusing to talk. To address these issues, the Parenting School Play Center has initiated a growth journey titled "Seeing Colors, Creating Colors," using picture books as a medium and colors as a bridge. Witness the remarkable transformation—from confusing red and green to actively saying "I want to paint purple flowers," and from tearful resistance to eagerly pulling their grandmother's hand in anticipation of visiting. Let's explore this wonderful color-filled growth journey together.

II. Color Enlightenment Through Layered Interaction

      Faced with children's cognitive gaps and parents' participation challenges, the instructors did not opt for traditional lecture-based teaching. Instead, they innovatively designed an interactive model centered around the picture book The Colorful Flower, integrating story guidance and tiered hands-on activities to let learning unfold naturally through play. First, the instructors hold up the book's cover and use child-friendly questions to spark interest: "Little ones, what do the petals of this flower look like? Are they as red as strawberries or as yellow as the sun?" "If you could color the leaves, what color would you make them?" These open-ended questions break free from the constraints of standard answers. When the children respond, the instructors reply with smiles and positive engagement, using respect and encouragement to help children feel confident expressing their thoughts.

      Next, the instructors design layered activities based on the abilities of children in different age groups: children over one year old color within outlines drawn by parents, perceiving colors through focused coloring; older children engage in free creation and attempt to describe their own works. Throughout the process, instructors use encouraging language to provide positive feedback, allowing every child to actively explore the mysteries of color and language through a sense of achievement.

III. From Color Cognition and Language Expression to Parent-Child Resonance

    This parent-child activity, centered on a picture book, has brought about delightful two-fold growth. The changes in the children are particularly notable: most can now accurately identify and name more than five colors, and when painting, they actively express ideas like "I want to paint pink flowers" or "I want to paint purple flowers." Their language expression has also progressed from single words to complete sentences.

     Parents' attitudes have similarly shifted. Kaikai's grandmother went from initially saying "it's too troublesome" to insisting "no matter how busy I am, we have to come." She remarked, "My child always talks about coming here; he won't take no for an answer. When I see him willing to speak and recognizing so many colors, I'm happy to come too!" The children's smiling faces and the parents' recognition not only confirm the activity's significant effect on improving children's color cognition and language skills but also make the Parent-Child Activity Center a bond connecting children's growth with family warmth.

IV. Every Child is a Unique Color

     "Seeing the children cheering with their paintings, and watching Kaikai's grandmother's frown turn into a smile, I suddenly understood: education is like coloring a flower—every child is a unique color." There are no "perfect works" here, only the children's innocence woven with colors and the slowly budding moments of parent-child companionship.

Project Introduction:

The Tengchong Scientific Parenting and Early Childhood Education Project is supported by the Genwell Foundation and the American Charitable Aid Foundation. Implemented by HPP in collaboration with the Tengchong Women's Federation and the Education and Sports Bureau. By setting up ‘Parenting and Play Centers’, the project team carries out a variety of interesting activities, trains ‘Parenting and Play Instructors’, and visits families regularly to help parents improve their knowledge of child rearing and education, master the skills of parent-child interaction, and promote the early education and sustainable development of rural children aged 0-4.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and have nothing to do with the position of the funder.