I can’t tell you how much I LOVE rainbow pasta. All you need to know is that there are at least 10 different kids activities all contained in one little tub filled with the stuff. That’s one reason why it’s great. You really don’t need a lot of it to have fun. It’s also really easy to make. I used the same recipe as I used to make my rainbow rice, and it worked perfectly. If you don’t know how to make rainbow rice, don’t worry, I have a really easy rainbow rice recipe for you.
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10 ways to play with Rainbow Pasta is part of my 10+ Ways to Play series. I try to take an object and find all of the different ways you can use it to play. If you want to learn how to make the most out of one thing check out 10+ Ways to Play with a Spray Bottle, 10+ Ways to Play with Small World Figures and 20 Amazing Water Activities for Kids.
Rainbow Pasta Sensory Tub
Sensory play is big with little ones. I don’t know how to stress what a huge hit all the sensory tubs I’ve brought out have been. Remember, you don’t need a lot of rainbow pasta. I’ve found that making 1 500g packet has been more than enough. As long as your kids can scoop, pour and explore, they’re happy.
If your kids love sensory play, check out my post Frozen pea sensory bin, 10+ Sensory tubs for toddlers and 10+ sensory activities for babies.
Threading
Threading is a great way to develop fine motor skills. We all need those little fingers to get stronger if we want our kids to be able to do more for themselves. I keep a couple of spare shoelaces in the tub of rainbow pasta that I have so that they’re always on hand to do some threading and make a rainbow pasta necklace.
Another great fine motor activity for kids is toothbrush painting. Exploring all of the different techniques you can use to create art with a toothbrush is a great finger exercise.
Odd one Out Game
This activity is great for pattern recognition, as well as learning colors. All you have to do is line up a few pieces of one color of pasta and include one piece that’s a different color. Then ask your toddler which one is different.
Sticky Wall Art
I’m crazy about sticky wall activities because they’re such a versatile, mess-free alternative to glue crafts. They can be made ahead of time really easily, which means that they’re a great travel bag activity.
I carefully peel back and stick the corners of the contact paper to a sheet of laminated background, then press the cover-paper back over so it’s protected. Then when you’re ready to play, all you have to do it peel off the cover and it’s all set.
For more sticky wall activities, have a look at my rainbow fish, and leafless tree printables. Both printables are 100% free to download and are so versatile, you can use them for sticky wall activities and a whole lot more. Don’t forget to grab your free copy today.
Playing with Playdough
Using the Rainbow pasta when playing with playdough is another childrens activity which is only limited by your imagination. You can turn them into car wheels, snail shells or just see what kinds of patterns they make when you press or roll them into the playdough.
Want to make your own playdough? This post from The Imagination Tree has a great no cook playdough recipe for you.
Sort Rainbow Pasta into Colors
This one is pretty straightforward. Grab a handful of pasta and sort the colors. You can use bowls if you like but most of the time we just end up making individual piles on the floor.
Memory Game
This activity is also easy to set up, but it’s a bit more challenging. Line up 4 colors, ask your child to remember them and then close their eyes. Take one color away when they aren’t looking and see if they can remember which one should be there.
You can use fewer, or more colors depending on how challenging your child needs the game to be.
DIY Maraca
If you’ve got a spare bottle lying around, bring it out. Toddlers love posting things into bottles and in the end, they’ll have made their very own musical instrument. You can turn on some music and get dancing with this very simple DIY maraca. Just make sure you pick up any spare pieces of pasta before you dance, stepping on one is just as painful as lego.
Rainbow Pasta Glue Art
Glue crafts are a fantastic way for your kids to explore their creativity. Make anything you like from the many colors of pasta. When the pictures are dry, they’ll look great on the fridge door.
Color Wheel Math
Mixing paint is probably the most obvious way to learn about colors, however, it’s limited and not the only way to learn. If you want another option then try my free Color Wheel Math printable which I’ve already prepared for you.
In this printable, your kids will learn which colors are made when two are mixed together, as well as what would happen if you took one away (something you can’t do with paint). It’s a great travel bag activity because it’s so easy to just put the printable and a few pieces of pasta into a travel bag or travel file.
Are you going to try any of these 10+ Ways to Play with rainbow Pasta with your kids?
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