A coloured rice pouring station is an understated toddler sensory bin that is so much fun.
Colouring the rice takes this simple sensory bin idea to the next level. If you have been toying with the idea of a sensory bin but didn’t know where to start, this is it!
Coloured Rice Pouring Station
The benefits of sensory play for toddlers are widely known, and with a huge presence on social media, plenty of Mums out there put a lot of pressure on themselves to give their children perfectly set-up sensory play trays.
This is a gentle reminder that simple works.
Not only does simple just work, it can also be less overwhelming for children and inspire more creativity.
Our coloured rice pouring station is a sensory bin activity that all three of my children love to play with.
Yes, even the big kids love getting in the action. With some prep beforehand, this sensory play idea takes seconds to set up and be ready for serious, meaningful play.
What you need to make a coloured rice pouring station:
How to set up your coloured rice pouring station:
Colouring rice is so simple.
To make the coloured rice, put the dry, uncooked rice into the ziplock bag.
Add a few drops of food colouring or a small squirt of paint into the bag.
Zip the bag up before shaking, rubbing, and mixing the color into the rice.
To help distribute the colour, add a touch of vinegar.
If you want the rice to be a stronger color, add more coloring or paint until the desired depth of color is reached. Remember that the more colour you add, the longer it will take to dry out.
Once the desired colour is achieved, open the bag and let the rice dry. To speed up the process, spread the wet rice across a baking tray or cooking sheet.
Once dry, coloured rice can be kept for play for years. We have some rice that we have been using for over seven years.
The rice needs to be kept dry and in an airtight container. We primarily use jars or ziplock bags stored in plastic tubs.
It is great to have on hand for simple sensory play bins and crafts.
Today, we used three colours to create our coloured rice pouring station.
Place your drop cloth or a sheet under your child's play space to help clean up later.
Then it is as simple as putting the rice into the tray with some measuring cups.
We recite a little poem before play and when things start to get a bit messy.
“Keep the play in the tray, or it gets packed away.”
The tray and drop cloth are great visual boundaries for the play and contain most of the mess.
My children love mixing the colours, pouring the rice from different heights and scooping the rice from one cup to another.
Playing with coloured rice fuels so much creative play. This coloured rice pouring station can be transformed into a cafe, building site, or jungle with their imaginations holding the limits. Where is this sensory play activity going to take your child’s creativity?
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SOME MORE FUN TODDLER ACTIVITY IDEAS YOU MIGHT ENJOY ARE:
50 Easy Toddler Activities
Sensory Bins Using Rice
About the Author
Dani is a busy stay-at-home Mum of 3 and an early childhood teacher in training who is passionate about play-based learning throughout early childhood. For educational play ideas that you can do at home and parenting tips visit Play Inspired Mum Check her out on Instagram andFacebook