Why do this activity?

Sensory play helps children develop and improve their gross and fine motor skills, coordination, and concentration. It also provides an opportunity to use all their senses to discover and explore their environment, develop their imagination and creative thinking.

Playing with colored spaghetti is an excellent sensory experience for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. It feels slimy and slips through their fingers easily. It's also a great activity for helping little ones to learn colors.

Materials Needed:

•  Spaghetti
• Tray or large container
•  Food dye
• Scoops and toys
• Plastic gloves

How to: 

• Cook 1 – 3 packages of spaghetti noodles, drain and rinse them with cold water to cool them down quickly.
• Portion out the noodles for each color and then let them sit until they cool down enough to touch.
• It’s recommended to use a taste-safe food coloring if your child decides to explore the spaghetti using their mouth. 
• If you like, let the child mix up the colors of the spaghetti slime.

It is recommended to wear gloves during this part. If you skip using gloves, the food dye might stain your hands.

After every tray is colored, allow them to sit untouched for about 45 minutes or until the dye is dry. Giving the pasta a chance to dry and the dye to get absorbed will prevent a transfer of colors to your child’s hands.

Add a few drops of vegetable oil to keep the spaghetti slimy for great sensory play. Put the dyed spaghetti into a large tray or a container and hide some small toys in them. 

Let your child dig into the spaghetti to find the toys!

(Strict and active supervision is required at all times)