Red, yellow, blue.... They all are characters in a painting story.  Each color has a feel, a gesture and a momentum in a painting.  Here are some examples:
But before you begin, please remember that there is NO replacement for painting the painting yourself well before the class lesson.  Then ideas will come to you for the story from the colors themselves.
Yellow- Bright, happy, light, joyous, likes to jump from thing to thing, playful, friendly, short attention span, takes an interest in all.  The sun is yellow and shines on all without being discriminating!
Red - courageous, bold, dominant, bossy, loud, gets things done,
Blue - shy, gentle, loving, careful, comforting like a mother,

When I make up a story, it is for a particular class and has pieces in it just for them.  For example, introducing Blue to a group of 1st graders:   A new child entered their room who crept from one corner of the room to the next where he watched the class to see if they were friendly.  Ever so slowly, Blue began to creep toward the center of the room where confident Red comes in and puts his hands of Blue’s shoulders and says “Welcome!”

2 tips for color stories:
1. Review last week’s story before telling a new one.
2. Display paintings the very next day and see if the children can retell the story from looking at the painting.


Below is a schedule that might be followed in a Waldorf School that follows the festival cycle of the year.  (Thanks to Rosanne Z. for sharing this from her training.)



Michaelmas (Aug./Sept)
1) Week 1 - Yellow (Actions of the sanguine child on the playground)
Week 2 - Yellow (Mood of the child center - radiating out)
Week 3 - Red (Actions of the choleric children the playground)
Week 4 - Red (Mood of the child - moving in wavy strokes)

(Sept/Oct)
2) Week 1 - Red in the center and Yellow periphery
Week 2 - Yellow in the center and Red periphery
Week 3 - Blue (Actions of the melancholic child on the playground)
Week 4 - Blue (Mood of the child - settled below)

Halloween (Oct./Harvest)
Week 1 - Yellow in the center and Blue periphery
Week 2 - Blue in the center and Yellow periphery
Week 3 - Yellow and Red together on the page (not meeting)

Thanksgiving (Nov)
Week 1 - Yellow comes to meet Red, lightening up the color
Week 2 - Red comes to meet Yellow, warming up the color
Week 3 - Blue and Yellow on the page (not meeting)
Week 4 - Yellow comes to meet Blue, lighten up blue, growing

Christmas (Dec)
Week 1 - Blue comes to meet Yellow, making yellow quiter
Week 2 - Red and Blue on a page, not meeting
Week 3 - Blue comes to meet Red
Week 4 - Red comes to meet Blue

Epiphany (Jan)
Week 1 - Yellow and Red or Red, Yellow, and Blue on a page (Not meeting)

Candlemas - Darkness and light within
Week 2 - Prussian Blue
Week 3 - Prussian Blue center and Red periphery
Week 4 - Prussian Blue periphery and Yellow center

Easter (Mar/April)
Week 1 - Yellow comes to meet Prussian Blue
Week 2 - Prussian Blue comes to meet Yellow
Week 3 - Yellow above, Prussian Blue below

May Day Celebration of Life/rebirth
Week 1 - Yellow center, Prussian Blue below and Red above
Week 2 - Color Wheel Painting
Week 3 - Rainbow