Yesterday I shared a recipe for colored rice, and today I’m sharing a fun and simple creative invitation to make a layered rainbow colored rice jar.
Like all things on TinkerLab, this is just a jumping off point and should act more as inspiration than doctrine. Offer your child the materials and then see what he or she comes up with. You may be surprised by the results!
Supplies: Rainbow Colored Rice Jar
- Colored Rice – Recipe here
- Funnel – I made a paper funnel by twirling a half-circle of paper into a funnel shape and then taping the edge shut.
- Spoon
- Glass or plastic jar
Rainbow Colored Rice Jar Set-up
I set up all of the materials on the table just as you see in the photo above. My kids were VERY eager to jump in and get started, and began filling the jars before I had a chance to grab an empty-jar version of the invitation. This set-up is super inviting, and MANY jars were filled that day.
My kids, ages 3 and 5, figured out without any verbal cues that this was an invitation to fill their jars. They came up with their own color combinations and enjoyed the process so much that they foraged the kitchen for mason jars and anything else that could hold their colored rice.
More Ways to Explore Colored Rice
- Make it a Gift! Make these as gifts for family members
- Vary the material: Try this with Colored Salt or Colored Sand, instead of rice.
- Make a Sensory Tub: Pour all of your rainbow-colored rice into a big sensory tub and invite your child to play with it. Add funnels, bowls, and scoopers for extra entertainment. Add small character toys and pretend they live in the land of rainbows. The wheat berries in this sensory tub could easily be replaced with rice or colored sand.
- Use the rice like glitter. Offer your child a sheet of paper, white craft glue, and a bowl of rice to sprinkle into the glue.
Love your ideas.
Thank you so much, Maureen!