Rainbow Rice

Turbo really enjoys sensory activites. As I've mentioned he has a love affair with dried beans but has not been interested in rice.  Thinking it needed some visual interest, I decided we'd add color.   Good timing too! It's R week, perfect for Rainbow Rice!

Supplies

• White Rice (I used 1/2 cup rice for each color)
• Zip-close baggies 
• Food Coloring 
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Paper towels for quick clean up
• Work area covering (we used a cookie sheet)
• Drying containers (I used one per color to avoid transfer)

Directions
*  Have your assistant pour rice into the baggie.

*  Put 1/2 teaspoon rubbing alcohol in the baggie of rice. I believe it speeds drying. I did this step myself.

*  Have your assistant help carefully add food coloring to the rice. I let Turbo hold the bottle, then put my hand over his to help him squeeze and for quick removal if necessary. There's no pictures of this (obviously)!  We used this opportunity to count drops. It helped him remember to squeeze slower so he could see them.

* SEAL THE BAG - then double check.  You do not want to be dealing with food coloring stains!

* SHAKE, SHAKE and SHAKE. Turbo loved this part. He was amazed the first time. He kept stopping and telling me the rice was turning red.   For every color after, I asked him what he thought would happen to the rice.  He said - "get dizzy, bounce around, shake up, maybe get painted."  I was dying laughing and that encouraged him to come up with more funny things.

* Dry the rice in a container or on a cookie sheet. (doesn't take long at all)
* Repeat for each color.
* MIX!

*  PLAY

Here's my approx drops for the 1/2 cup rice:
Purple - 8 drops of red and 2or 3 of blue.
Blue - 8-10 drops
Green - 8-10 drops
Yellow - lovely and bright with only 3 drops.
Orange - added 10 drops of yellow and 2 drops of red.
Red - wasn't able to master that color. With 10 it looked a bit red, but more pink. I did it again with 20 and it was much better, but still not red, red.  Thankfully I didn't enter into a Rainbow Rice contest, so it's all good.

Got Beans?

~ Dried Beans ~ 
We seriously cannot get enough of these things. Turbo asks for the beans every week - sometimes every day.  He scoops, pours, sorts, fills, glues, slides, transfers and more. This post about sorting and this post with our art work are only a few of the many, many times these beans have been used since September.

Yep, September, these things have Staying Power! That's what I need in all my toys. Who knew this $3 bag of beans would buy me more time than....well almost anything except his $1 music erasers and his keyboard.

While at the Dollar Tree recently, I saw this Gumball machine and it just screamed to be used with the beans.  It was a HIT.  He loves to move the lever and see the beans rush out.  It's terrific practice for him to put the beans back inside - patience, fine motor skills - all good.