A red, yellow and blue color-matching activity.

The picnic begins with three familiar things: a red apple, a yellow banana and a blue cup. After the cartoon, keep the game going with colors you can find at home.

You do not need a printed worksheet or special toys. A few everyday objects and a grown-up to take turns with are enough. Play for as long as it stays fun; finding just one match is a good place to finish.

What to gather

Choose one red, one yellow and one blue item. A red shirt, a yellow towel and a blue plastic cup make three easy starting points. Use large, unbreakable objects that your child can handle with you.

Spread them out so the colors are easy to see. If you have paper in the same colors, use it as matching spaces. If not, simply make three groups on a table or the floor.

1. Watch for the three colors

Start with The Color Picnic. Point out the apple, banana and cup as they appear. Try saying “red apple,” “yellow banana” and “blue cup” together. Pause if your child wants another look.

2. Find a match

Hold up the red item and say, “This is red. Can you find another red thing?” Let your child look around or choose from two things you have set out. Place the match beside the first item.

Repeat with yellow and blue. Use the color word with the object’s name: “yellow towel” or “blue cup.” If an object has lots of colors, choose one patch to point to, or swap it for something simpler.

3. Take turns being the finder

Let your child choose a color for you to find. Bring your match back and ask, “Does this go here?” They can say the word, point to the group or move the object into place.

For a smaller game, offer only two colors. For a longer one, look for two different objects in each color. Keep the same three color names rather than adding lots of new ones at once.

4. Make a pretend picnic

Use your three groups to set up a little pretend picnic. A folded towel can be a mat, and the cup can have its own place. Ask, “Where does the blue cup go?” Then trade places and let your child ask you.

Bring in the kindness from the story with a simple “thank you” when someone passes an item. The game can end with packing the objects away together.

Useful phrases for this game

• “This is red.”
• “Can you find something yellow?”
• “Where is the blue cup?”
• “Do these colors match?”
• “Your turn. My turn.”

These are suggested phrases for playing together, not a transcript of the episode. There is no need to ask every question or expect a spoken answer.

A few questions from grown-ups