An image beats memorising: «burgundy — like a cherry» paints a picture in the head, and the name sticks to it. The child recalls the cherry — and the color comes along by itself.

Which colors should we learn first?

Start with the basics: red, yellow, green, blue, black and white. Once those are instant, add light blue, pink and orange, then the rare ones — turquoise, amber, burgundy.

From about 2–3 you can point and name the basic colors, from 4–5 — play with shades and associations. There is no upper limit: «mauve — like twilight» works for grown-ups too.

Color names for kids — 41 colors with fun associations

Red

like a strawberry 🍓
like a tomato 🍅
like a ladybug 🐞
like a fire truck 🚒

Dark red

like a cherry 🍒
like pomegranate seeds ❤️
like beetroot 🥗
like radish skin 🥗

Coral

like watermelon flesh 🍉
like a slice of salmon 🍣
like poppy petals 🌺
like sunset clouds 🌇

Orange

like a carrot 🥕
like a fox 🦊
like a pumpkin 🎃
like a tiger cub 🐯
like an autumn leaf 🍂
like a basketball 🏀

Amber

like honey 🍯
like an autumn leaf 🍁
like dried apricots 🍑
like caramel syrup 🍮

Golden

like a crown 👑
like an ear of wheat 🌾
like a medal 🥇
like a shiny trumpet 🎺

Yellow

like the sun ☀️
like a banana 🍌
like a lemon 🍋
like a dandelion 🌼

Light yellow

like a chick 🐤
like vanilla ice cream 🍦
like a fluffy duckling 🐥
like butter 🧈

Lime

like a sour apple 🍏
like a grasshopper 🦗
like the skin of an unripe pear 🍐
like young lettuce leaves 🥬

Mint

like pistachio ice cream 🍨
like honeydew melon flesh 🍈
like an inner cabbage leaf 🥬
like cucumber flesh 🥒

Green

like grass 🌿
like a little frog 🐸
like a cactus 🌵
like a watermelon rind 🍉

Dark green

like a fir tree 🌲
like a crocodile 🐊
like a deep forest 🌳
like a spinach leaf 🥬

Olive

like a turtle shell 🐢
like avocado skin 🥑
like a bay leaf 🌿
like moss on a tree trunk 🌳

Sage green

like a eucalyptus leaf 🌿
like a succulent leaf 🪴
like a waxy cabbage leaf 🥬
like lichen on a branch 🌳

Teal

like a peacock's tail 🦚
like northern lights 🌌
like seawater 🌊
like a kingfisher's feathers 🐦

Turquoise

like the sea 🌊
like a fish lagoon 🐟
like a mermaid's tail 🧜‍♀️
like a tropical wave 🏄

Light blue

like a clear sky ☀️
like a forget-me-not flower 🌼
like glacier ice 🧊
like a lake on a sunny day 🏞️

Blue

like jeans 👖
like a cornflower 🌼
like a sapphire 💎
like a macaw's wing feathers 🦜

Dark blue

like the sky after sunset 🌃
like the deep sea ⚓
like ripe blueberries 🫐
like dark denim jeans 👖

Indigo

like blueberry skins 🫐
like an iris flower 🌸
like pansy petals 🌼
like dark grape skins 🍇

Purple

like grapes 🍇
like an eggplant 🍆
like a violet 🌸
like an amethyst 💜

Magenta

like a fuchsia blossom 🌺
like a cyclamen flower 🌸
like dragon fruit skin 🐉
like vivid petunia petals 🌼

Lilac

like a lavender flower 💜
like crocus petals 🌸
like wisteria blossoms 🌿
like a pale amethyst 💎

Pink

like a flamingo 🦩
like a peony blossom 🌺
like a lotus flower 🪷
like a carnation blossom 💐

Light pink

like a strawberry marshmallow 🍬
like cherry blossoms 🌸
like strawberry yogurt 🍓
like a piglet 🐷

Brown

like chocolate 🍫
like a teddy bear 🧸
like an acorn 🌰
like a chestnut 🌰
like a gingerbread 🥮
like a potato 🥔

Beige

like sand 🏖️
like a cookie 🍪
like rolled oats 🥣
like linen fabric 🧵

Peach

like apricot flesh 🍑
like cantaloupe flesh 🍈
like a pale seashell 🐚
like dawn clouds 🌅

Light gray

like morning mist 🌫️
like a winter sky 🌥️
like pale beach pebbles 🪨
like dandelion fluff 🌬️

Gray

like a mouse 🐭
like a rain cloud 🌧️
like a wolf cub 🐺
like a steel coin 🪙

Dark gray

like an elephant 🐘
like a storm cloud ⛈️
like a rhino 🦏
like asphalt after rain 🛣️

Black

like the night 🌑
like a piece of coal ⚫
like a penguin's back 🐧
like ripe blackberries 🫐

White

like snow ❄️
like milk 🥛
like cotton wool ☁️
like a swan 🦢

Taupe

like a button mushroom cap 🍄
like oak bark 🌳
like a sparrow's back 🐦
like a donkey's coat 🫏

Swamp green

like camouflage on a helmet 🪖
like pond algae 🌿
like an old turtle shell 🐢
like silt at the bottom of a pond 🏞️

Slate blue

like a stormy sky ⛈️
like a shark's back 🦈
like the sea on an overcast day 🌊
like a pigeon's wing 🕊️

Dusty rose

like the inside of a seashell 🐚
like dried peony petals 🌺
like the inside of a rabbit's ear 🐇
like dried hydrangea flowers 💐

Mauve

like twilight clouds 🌆
like dried lavender 💜
like the bloom on a plum's skin 🫐
like dried iris petals 🌸

Maroon

like a cherry 🍒
like cherry jam 🫙
like beetroot juice 🥤
like a kidney bean 🫘

Dark brown

like tree bark 🌳
like hot cocoa ☕
like a coffee bean 🫘
like a grizzly bear 🐻

Emerald

like a gemstone 💎
like a clover leaf 🍀
like a little lizard 🦎
like a pea pod 🫛

All 41 colors with associations

Red