Colors of the Rainbow Craft Project

AGE RANGE:  PROJECT SHOULD BE EASILY ACCOMPLISHED BY AGES 4 AND UP WITH HELP FROM PARENT OR GUARDIAN

APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES to 1 hour


Art Mobile Colors of the RainbowWhat are the colors of the rainbow and what do they mean? Let’s explore the spectrum by making a rainbow with paper plates, cotton balls, string and beads. We’ll create a colorful work of art to remind us of the beauty of our planet, and the art of nature. 

EDUCATIONAL OUTCOME:

Children will learn the colors of the spectrum in order, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. 

A rainbow is colored light seen in the sky when rays of the sun strike falling raindrops. Rainbows are curved because raindrops that reflect the sunlight are curved. Rainbows occur after a storm when the sun begins to shine while the air is still filled with raindrops. They happen most often in the morning or early evening. Stripes of the rainbow are colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue (light blue), indigo (dark blue), and violet.

Art Materials Needed
  • Paper plate or other white paper, works best if the paper is thick like paper plate 
  • Markers or crayons 
  • Scissors 
  • Cotton balls or other fluffy material 
  • Glue 
  • String or yarn or floss 
  • Pony beads or colorful paper 
Project Instructions


  1. Cut out an half circle from a paper plate by folding the paper plate in half  
  2. With marker or crayon color the spectrum of a rainbow: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue (light blue), Indigo (Dark Blue), Violet  
  3. Punch some holes in the bottom of the rainbow and string some beads or colored paper to simulate raindrops
  4. Glue some cotton fluff to the rainbow
  5. Punch a hole at the top, string some beads to the hanging string and place that beautiful rainbow somewhere special