I love introducing new 3-Part Nomenclature cards to my kids. While these cards are typically recommended for children starting at 3 years of age, my children start using the Montessori nomenclature color cards in their simplest form (color matching) before turning 3. Learning colors is one of the first sensorial skills children start to master in Montessori learning. Activities with items like the Montessori color tablets take color learning to the next level, these basic color cards are the perfect starting point. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to create these cards at home so they are durable enough to last several years of use!

About The Printable
Below you’ll find a printable for the color nomenclature cards. Click the download now button and the PDF will open in a new tab for printing.

Step 1: Gather the Materials

For this tutorial you will need:
– The free printable for the 3-Part Montessori Nomenclature Color Cards provided in this post
– Colored printer (that is capable of printing on cardstock)
– White cardstock
– Light pink construction paper
– 5mm Lamination sheets
– Laminator
– Paper cutter and/or Scissors
– Glue sticks

See my post 8 Must-Have Montessori Homeschool Materials and Tools for some extra guidance on tools and materials that I feel are the most helpful for making these DIY Montessori activities.

Step 2: Download and Print the Colored Cards onto Cardstock

Find the “Free 3-Part Color Nomenclature Cards” link at the bottom of this post and click the download button. Print the PDF in full color onto your white cardstock.

Step 3: Cut the Cards from the Cardstock

Using your paper cutter, cut the card from the cardstock along the edge. You will have three cards per color.

Step 4: Glue Cards to Light Pink Construction Paper

In traditional Montessori classrooms, light pink is the color used to color code sensorial material. While many nomenclature cards are blank around the edges and on the back, I prefer to color code them to make them easier to organize. So, the printable I created has a pink border. All we have to do is adhere to the pink construction paper backing.

Glue the cut-out cards to the pink construction paper. To make it easier during cutting, try to align the edge of the white cardstock cards to the edge of the pink construction paper.

Step 5: Cut the Cards from the Pink Construction Paper

Using sharp scissors, cut the cards from the construction paper along the edge, making sure not to leave any extra border.

If you’d like to use a paper cutter for this step, you certainly can. However, I’ve always thought it was a bit easier and faster to cut construction paper with sharp scissors instead.

Step 6: Laminate Each Card

Place each card that now has the pink backing in the lamination sheets. I prefer to use 5mm thickness for the lamination sheets to ensure a bit more durability. Send the lamination sheets through the laminator. Sometimes, you may need to send it through twice to make sure you have a good seal.

Step 7: Cut Each Card from the Lamination Sheet

Once the cards have been laminated, cut each card from the lamination sheet. To save a little time, I use sharp scissors for this part too.

Step 8: Set Up Nomenclature Cards for Learning

There are several different ways you can use your nomenclature cards for learning in your home-schooling classroom. Our go-to activity has always been matching and pairing the colors and labels.

Step 10: Give Child Free Access to Your New Montessori Nomenclature Color Cards

Make sure that your nomenclature cards are always available for the child to access and play with. In a typical Montessori classroom, where everything is neatly organized by subject, these cards would be placed next to the other sensory materials (colors = sensory). Since we home-school, this type of organization is not always economical or realistic given the space we have available, so I place the cards the kids are working on in a small basket on top of our shelving.

Children who use these cards regularly will learn their colors quickly and will begin to recognize the name of the color, encouraging success in their language arts studies.

Have requests for 3-Part Card printables? Leave me a comment and let me know what your child is interested in learning about next!

More FREE printables:
DIY: Authentic Montessori Sandpaper Letters- Montessori Language Arts Activity + 2 FREE Printables
DIY Montessori Number Rods: Printable Version for Early Mathematics

**FREE PRINTABLE DOWNLOAD**