Rainbow Rice

Forget cars, trains, and fire engines, I’ve found the latest craft idea that will keep my 2 year old entertained for, well, minutes but he’s 2! That is a solid “I’m-so-entertained-for-a-2 year-old” goal!  Over the last few months, I have purchased some uncooked rice and pasta and put them into separate bins. I will even throw in some insect toys, shovels, funnels, you name it, and we’ll play in those bins multiple times during the day–they are such a big hit with him.* So much so that I decided to make this Rainbow Rice sensory bin in honor of all things rainbow colored, not to mention perfect for St. Patrick’s Day.

*And yes, I have the vacuum handy at all times.

I almost didn’t want to mix all the colors together because it was so pretty to look at. But the moment I threw the Rainbow Rice into a bin for Jax to play with, it was game over.

Don’t be intimidated either, this was incredibly easy to do! You just need no more than 20 minutes to mix up each color and then allow to dry. The process for making this Rainbow Rice is simple. All you need is

• uncooked rice
• water
• food coloring of choice

It takes about an hour for the rice to completely dry but depending on what coloring you use, you might have to wait longer. In fact, some of the colors were ready to go almost immediately but it’s best to allow some time to dry so it doesn’t stain your little one’s hands or the bin. Or the floor because, let’s be real, that’s where they are mostly ending up.

Pull up a stool and have your child join you as you color the rice. Even shaking up the baggie can be a fun activity for them. Whatever works, am I right mom and dad? Whatever keeps them occupied and happy. That is my motto…

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Rainbow Rice

• 
  Author: Cara
• 
  Prep Time: 20 min
• 
  Total Time: 20 min
• 
  Yield: 1 Bin of Rainbow Rice
• 
  Category: crafts

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Ingredients

• 1 c. rice, per color (6 c. total)
• 1/2 tsp. water, per color
• 15 -20 drops food coloring, per color (you’ll need red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple)
• 6 plastic baggies or a reusable plastic container that you don’t mind gets stained

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Instructions

1. Place 1 c. of rice into each baggie.
2. Mix 1/2 tsp. of water + 15-20 drops of food coloring per color.
3. Place into the baggie, zip up completely and then shake the heck out of it until the color has spread evenly. You might need to add another 1/4 tsp of water along with a couple more drops of coloring if it doesn’t coat it perfectly.
4. Place the rice out on a piece of parchment paper, aluminum foil, baking sheet, or paper towel and allow to dry.
5. Repeat for the other 5 colors.
6. Once completely dry, pour all colors into a small storage bin.

Kinda looks like Fruity Peebles, doesn’t it? Well, we see where my mind always is, even when it’s craft time. Always thinking of food…

If you make Rainbow Rice for your kids, don’t forget to tag me @forkandbeans over on Instagram. I LOVE to see your recreations!

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