How Do Dinosaurs Learn Colors? Read-Aloud, Summary & Color Activities
Tales with Mom
June 7, 2026 4 min read
Toddlers love two things without fail: dinosaurs, and naming colors at the top of their lungs. How Do Dinosaurs Learn Colors? puts them together, and Mom's read-aloud turns a rainbow of friendly dinosaurs into a giggly color lesson that actually sticks.
Watch the read-aloud
Press play for the full read-aloud, with bright animation and Mom's playful, sing-song voice.
What it's about
Jane Yolen and Mark Teague's giant, lovable dinosaurs romp through the rainbow, naming red, yellow, blue, green, and more along the way. The big, bold artwork gives every color a clear, memorable moment, which is exactly what a learning brain needs.
What your child is really learning
A color book does more than name the rainbow. As you read, your child practices noticing and sorting, which is the brain's first step toward both math and reading, and builds the words to describe their whole world. Connecting a color word to real things, again and again, is how it sticks.
Talk about it
Turn the last page into a game. There are no wrong answers:
- What is your favorite color? Can you find it on this page?
- What else do you know that is red? What about blue?
- Which dinosaur would you be, and what color are you?
How to read it for the most learning
Slow down on each color, point to it, and tie it to something real: red like an apple, green like the grass. Then let your child name the next thing they spot. A quick color hunt around the room between pages turns the book into a game and locks the words in.
A little about the series
Jane Yolen and Mark Teague's How Do Dinosaurs books have delighted families for over twenty years, pairing giant, expressive dinosaurs with gentle lessons. The oversized art makes every color big enough for the littlest reader to grab onto.
Turn it into real color learning
A read-aloud plants the seed. These quick games help it grow:
- Color hunt: after a page, race to find something the same color in the room.
- Snack sort: line up berries, crackers, and fruit by color before you eat them.
- One-color day: pick a color and spot it everywhere you go.
- Crayon echo: hold up a crayon and let your toddler shout the color back.
Keep the learning going
Ready to add numbers to the mix? Try the Dinosaur Number Learning Game read-aloud, or see our full guide to teaching colors and counting with picture books. For more giant-sized fun, here are the best dinosaur books for preschoolers.
