Our rice box is hands down our favorite “go to” box for sensory fun. My kids love it so much it’s one that I make color themed rice based on the holiday coming up. (Scroll down to see our different boxes.) To contain the ‘mess’ we put down a vinyl table cloth underneath. A couple towels on the ground would work well too! If it’s nice out, outside is always the great option!
It’s pretty simple to make, using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, and 30-60 minutes to dry and be ready to play!
You’ll need:
- A big bag of white rice (1 cup per color desired)
- white vinegar (1 tbsp per 1 cup of rice)
- food coloring
- Ziplock bags & wax paper
- Fill a ziplock bag with 1 cup of rice (# of bags depends on how many colors you want to make).
- Add a 5-10 drops of food coloring for more vibrant colors (less for more pastel colors).
- Add 1 TBSP of vinegar to each bag. This helps pull the color from the rice and evenly disperse the dye.
- Shake and mix the rice in the sealed bag until evenly distributed.
- Pour out the bag of rice on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Let dry for about a half hour/hour or until dry to the touch.
- Carefully transfer the sheets of rice from the counter to a container of your choice.
Throw in some scoops, bowls, and other trinkets* for fun play! (*ALWAYS supervise littles when dealing with small toys and trinkets they could potentially put in their mouth.)
Even though I’m a huge fan of all the pretty colors, it’s not crucial to child development. Hear me out…children do NOT need rainbow rice, and colored everything to play effectively. In fact, a plain box of rice would have the same benefits as rainbow. It’s about the texture and fine motor skills developing that can be so beneficial. I do think colored rice can be more inviting and spark conversations. The language development and imaginative growth that happens is incredible, too!
My kids love it, so we always have a different sensory bin out for play. This is usually based on the season, holiday, or an upcoming event.
Why all the fuss? Studies have shown that sensory play has so many benefits.
- Supports brain development of little ones.
- It helps with littles’ fine motor skills.
- Enhances memory
- Promotes language development
- Helps promote problem solving
- Guides them through complex thinking
- Promotes imaginative independent play
This type of play includes learning skills such a scooping, pouring, dumping, measuring, pinching, and also imaginative play when you add some different trinkets or toys. That is the main goal of a sensory box. For little ones to explore, play, learn, and ultimately have fun.
With this kind of fun, always have some ground rules, to help you have the most success.
Our rules:
- Keep it in the box
- No throwing
- No eating
If a little breaks the rules, then the box goes away until next time. 😉 Let me know if you try it, and please reach out with any questions!
Happy Playing! 💛
Making Beautiful Messes 