El arcoíris: Easy Rainbow Crafts for Preschool

In this post: Explore a variety of easy-to-make rainbow crafts that are perfect for preschoolers. Plus learn Spanish colors in the process!

Are you looking for rainbow themed crafts for your preschooler?

Learning about rainbows is a great way to incorporate preschool Spanish vocabulary like colors!

All children love rainbows! It is a popular theme and talking about the beautiful and captivating natural phenomenon of rainbows is a fun educational experience.

Hands-on thematic learning is powerful for little language learners so the team at Llamitas Spanish have rounded up our favorite rainbow themed crafts.

These rainbow activities not only promote creativity but also help enhance fine motor skills, color recognition, and cognitive development.

How do you say Rainbow in Spanish?

Rainbow in Spanish is ‘el arcoíris’ (ahr-koh ee-rees)

Colors of the Rainbow in Spanish

In the table below you will find the colors of the rainbow in Spanish along with their pronunciation. 

Related post: Fun Color Activities in Spanish

Llamitas Spanish Morning Binder

If you’re looking for a Spanish Preschool program check out our Llamitas Spanish Morning Binder!

It provides a done-for-you preschool Spanish course with plenty of opportunities to practice colors, as well as shapes, numbers, letters and more!

The binder also includes digital files with pronunciation guides and songs to reinforce their learning.

>> Shop here and start learning Spanish with your kids!

Easy Arcoiris Crafts for Kids

At Llamitas Spanish we love thematic learning and art and crafts are included in our cross-curricula lessons!

All the crafts below are low prep and use a variety of materials you should already have around the house.

While you enjoy the arcoiris theme, why not learn a Spanish song all about the rainbow or read the authentic bilingual story The Rainbow Weaver/ Tejedora del Arcoiris about a Mayan girl called Ixchel who learns to weave.

Paper Plate Rainbow

Materials:

• Paper plates
• Paint (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)
• Cotton balls
• Glue
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Have the children paint each section of the paper plate with the colors of the rainbow.
2. Once the paint is dry, help them glue cotton balls along the edge of the plate to represent clouds.
3. This simple craft is not only colorful but also provides an opportunity to discuss the order of colors in a rainbow.

Play Doh Rainbow Craft

Materials:

• Play Doh in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple
• Were you expecting more materials?

Instructions:

1. Separate the Play Doh into small balls for each child in each color. 
2. Demonstrate to the preschoolers how to use their hands to roll out the Play Doh in strips in the shape of a rainbow.
3. Remind them of the order. You can sing the rainbow song to help them!

Fruit Loop Rainbow Necklace

Materials:

• Fruit Loops cereal
• Yarn
• Child-safe needle

Instructions:

1. Cut yarn into necklace-length pieces.
2. Thread the yarn through a child-safe needle, and let the preschoolers string Fruit Loops onto the yarn in the order of the rainbow.
3. Tie the ends of the yarn together to create a colorful and edible rainbow necklace.

Rainbow Handprint Art

Materials:

• Washable paint (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)
• White paper
• Wet wipes or a damp cloth for easy clean-up

Instructions:

1. Paint each finger of the child’s hand a different color of the rainbow OR add different paint colors for in stripes down the hand (see photo above).
2. Help them press their hand onto the paper, creating a rainbow handprint.
3. This craft is not only fun but also serves as a memorable keepsake.

Scattered Gouache Paper Rainbow

Materials:

• Red, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet gouache paint and brushes
• Watercolor paper
• Glue
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Paint 7 sheets of watercolor paper with the gouache paint colors.
2. Let dry.
3. Cut the sheets into small pieces.
4. Glue the pieces into the shape of a rainbow. (You may wish to trace out the lines first)

Rainbow Butterfly

Materials:

• Crepe Paper (different colors)
• Contact paper (adhesive)
• Butterfly template
• Sharpie
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Print the butterfly template (Find it in the Freebie Library).
2. Color the middle part of the butterfly with the black marker and trace over the border of the wings to make them thicker.
3. Cut out the butterfly. Do the same on its interior side.
4. Cut out a square on the contact paper so that the black side of the butterfly faces the adhesive side of the Contact paper.
5. Start gluing the little pieces of Crepe Paper (you can cut out tiny squares or in any shape you wish).
6. Finally stick the butterfly on a window in your house.

Crepe Paper Rainbow

Materials:

• Crepe Paper: (red, orange, green, purple, blue, yellow)
• 1/2 sheet of white cardstock paper
• A piece of yarn or rope
• A plastic spray bottle
• Water

Instructions:

1. Cut out some Crepe Paper stripes (estimate 2.36 inches width).
2. Hang up the piece of yarn or rope (like a mini clothes line).
3. Hang up the paper stripes on the line, making a knot so they don’t fall down.
4. Put the piece of white card under the paper stripes.
5. Add water to the spray bottle and spray directly onto the paper stripes.
6. Some water drops will begin falling down onto the cardstock paper, making rainbow paint!

Download more crafts in our Freebie Library!

These simple and entertaining crafts not only provide a hands-on learning experience but also create beautiful keepsakes that parents and children can cherish together. 

Encourage creativity and a love for colors with these easy rainbow crafts for preschoolers. Perfect for a rainy day and for kids of all ages!

Engaging preschoolers in rainbow art that is easy peasy and fun introduces them to the world of colors while fostering creativity and fine motor skills. 

Corrie Wiik

Founder of the Llamitas Spanish® Curriculum and former Spanish teacher. Corrie holds two Master Degrees in Spanish and Education. She lives in San Diego, California with her husband and two bilingual children.