By the end of last week, Bug was bored. I was bored, too. See, he was sick for a couple of days, so we couldn’t really do a whole lot. Not exactly wise to take a sick baby out in 90 degree weather, right? And then, it rained for a couple of days. Ugh. After a few days of being stuck inside the house, I decided I needed to get creative. We headed to Walmart to get supplies to make some crafty stuff for Buggy. I got stuff to make edible play dough & colored rice & pasta. I also got a big pad of paper, finger paints, triangle crayons (the round ones are frustrating for a little guy when they keep rolling off the table!) and some glue. Bug is getting to the age where he actually enjoys sitting down and focusing on an activity. Free play is still super fun, but it just doesn’t cut it like it used to!
I thought I would start a category called Crafts for Toddlers and share some of the activities Bug & I are up to. First off, rice & noodles… sounds like SO MUCH FUN, right? What? You aren’t sure what the heck I’m talking about? Well, read on, folks.
Here’s what you need:
- Uncooked white rice
- Uncooked elbow noodles
- Food coloring – I used McCormick Neons
to get really bright colors.
- Rubbing Alcohol
First, put a teaspoon of rubbing alcohol and several drops of food coloring into a bowl.
Add a cup of rice and mix it around. Be prepared to get food coloring on you… don’t be me and put on an apron two minutes too late.
Spread colored rice out on waxed paper and let dry for several hours. I used a 5 pound bag of rice, which comes out to just about 12 cups. If you’re good at math, you have figured out that I used 2 cups per color. Good for you.
Follow the same directions for the noodles. Put the dried, colorful rice & noodles into airtight containers. I’m pretty sure they’ll save forever. This stuff is great for a few things:
- Tactile/sensory play. Let your little one pour in and out of containers & cups and scoop with spoons.
- Arts & crafts. Let your little one glue noodles to paper.
- Counting & learning colors!
We haven’t played with the rice yet, but we have played with the noodles several times. It’s good for like 20 minutes. TWENTY minutes, people. That’s what I call a hit of an activity!
Soon, I’ll share how to make your own play dough!
What fun homemade activities do you do with your kids?
Update: This post was recently featured on The Daily Buzz! Woohoo!
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Thanks for the mention!
I found your post on a blog linked through pinterest and have to say you did a fantastic job with the colors. They are beautiful and you’ve inspired me to get creative next time we dye rice! You have a great blog as well!
Paris
Thanks so much for stopping by! I love what you did with the rice… I’ll have to remember that for when Eli is older. He still tries to eat glue
Love your blog!
What is rubbing alcohol?
Rubbing alcohol is a disinfectant… used mostly for cleaning minor wounds like scrapes and cuts and for disinfecting medical instruments and the like. I use it to clean my tweezers & nail clippers at home. It is not consumable. You can find it with the first aid supplies at your grocery store or pharmacy.
Does Bug eat the rice? That’s the one thing I’m afraid of with Sullivan.
Not anymore
We started playing with the pasta first, and I am sure he tried to put it in his mouth. I probably just kept distracting him. I think that I said “not in your mouth, Eli” 17 million times a day from months 5-17.