Looking for a quick, cheap and TASTE SAFE sensory bin activity? Look no further.
Sensory bins are all the rage right now, and for good reason. There are so many benefits to helping your little one explore using a sensory bin.
Some benefits for this Rainbow Spaghetti Noodle sensory bin are expanding your child’s tactile sensory, color recognition, fine motor development and the best reason of all is that it’s FUN. It’s an engaging activity for you and your child, always a plus in my book!
I would definitely rate this a 10/10 sensory bin. It was so easy to make, mess free (besides a straggler noodle here and there) and my daughter played with it for a very long time.
Follow these quick tips to make a rainbow noodle sensory bin for your kiddo.
1. Boil your noodles a few minutes LESS than the box instructions recommend
You want them to be a bit firm, if you overcook them they could turn mushy which could result in a mess (falling apart, becoming mushy, and the food coloring may rub off from all the starch).
I like to use regular spaghetti noodles, I think they are thick enough not to fall apart but think enough that I don’t have to use an entire bottle of food coloring to cover it. You can use any noodle you would like though.
I used 1 box.
2. Drain your noodles in your sink in a colander and then rinse with cold water.
Not only are you cooling them down you’re helping to get the extra starch off.
I gave the colander a few shakes and I let it sit for a couple of minutes. My noodles still had some moisture on the bottom but it didn’t effect anything, I just gave them a little shake before putting them in my ziplock bags.
3. Section out your noodles
Put a (somewhat) even amount of noodles in separate bags, how many colors you choose is up to you! I think my daughter would have been equally enthused with just two colors but I was feeling adventurous so I did four.
4. Add your food coloring and oil
I used gel food coloring because it’s what I had on hand. I probably wouldn’t have had to use as much with liquid food coloring but I did not have any issues with the gel food coloring coming off on my daughter’s hands or transferring to the floor when she dropped noodles off from our activity mat, so I would use the gel again personally.
Since I was worried about transferring I tried to use the pastel colors I had on hand. I would skip those next time and go straight for the more vibrant colors. I ended up using them anyways and it took a lot less than the pastels. I also had no issues with the dye coming off on our hands.
You’re only putting in a few drops (slight pour?) to help spread the food coloring a bit more. I used vegetable oil because it’s what I had on hand and it was a bottle that I got from the dollar tree for another craft. I didn’t want to use my olive oil or coconut oil simply because of expense. If that’s what you have go ahead and use it.
After adding some coloring and oil zip your bags and shake up the noodles. Keep adding food coloring until you get the depth of color you like.
5. Place in container
You can use a clear shoebox, tote, a mixing bowl, or anything else you have that will contain them. No need to be fancy here.
Let your little one enjoy!
My daughter was really surprised and excited to see this activity. At first she was hesitant and was daintily picking up one noodle at a time. By the end of it she was picking up handfuls. I even helped her step into the box so that she could step, squish, and explore with her feet.
How to store them?
I kept them right in the bags I used to mix them but you could put them in a plastic food storage container, glass dish or keep it in your sensory bin/bowl if it’s small enough to fit in your fridge.
How long to they last?
3-5 days since they may end up eating some.
Can you reuse them?
I would say that depends. I did not save this batch because my daughter had her feet in them, but if we only used hands I probably would have.
Extra tips –
- In the photos you will see the gray “Splat Mat” I got from Amazon. This isn’t a necessity but it definitely comes in handy for clean up and helps to have a designated area for your child to enjoy their activity. My daughter has dumped water all over this mat and the floor is not damp below it.
- I made 1 box of spaghetti but I only used half of each color of noodles so we would have a chance to use them a second time this week.
