We absolutely love sensory bins in our household! How about you? For Halloween, I decided to make a spooky, slimy Halloween-inspired sensory bin with colored spaghetti. I can feel the slimy noodles sliding through my fingers even thinking about it.
SUPPLIES
Cooked Spaghetti
Olive Oil
Plastic Zip Top Bags
Liquid Watercolors (you can substitute food coloring)
Halloween Items such as Googly Rings, Skeletons, Spiky Balls, Monster Finger Puppets, and a Small Plastic Black Cauldron
Scissors, Tweezers and Scoops
Clear Rubbermaid Container (or something similar)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Boil Spaghetti
Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Then add your spaghetti. I used one box. Follow the instructions on the box for how long to cook the noodles.
Once they are done cooking, drain the water and rinse with cold water. Next, add a few splashes of olive oil and mix. This will help keep the spaghetti from sticking together.
2. Color Spaghetti
Next, you need to divide the spaghetti into three equal portions. Put each portion into a zip top plastic bag. You can use three separate bags or one bag and you rinse between each color.
Add a few drops of liquid watercolor paint to each bag in your desired colors. I used orange, purple, and green. Seal the bags and mix the color with the spaghetti until it is evenly coated. Add more watercolor if needed. You can use food coloring in substitute of the liquid watercolor.
The benefits of using liquid watercolor paint is that it is washable and it tends to be more vibrant in color.
Spread the spaghetti out on a sheet pan or plate to dry. Allow at least 45 minutes for drying before use.
Please note that the spaghetti is inedible with the liquid watercolor paint. If you want to keep it edible, you will need to use food coloring to dye the noodles.
3. Assemble Sensory Bin
In a plastic bin, place the spaghetti separated by color. Then add your Halloween toys and tools. That’s it!
Just a reminder to use age appropriate toys. Some toys may be choking hazards.
4. Play Time
Now comes the fun part. It’s play time! Invite your child to play. This sensory bin will help them with textures and fine motor skills.
5. Storage
I recommend storing your sensory bin in an airtight container in the fridge. If stored correctly, it can last for up to a week.
REFLECTIONS
This was my first time using spaghetti for a sensory bin. Therefore, I wanted to share some of my thoughts on what I would have done differently.
– I would have cooked my spaghetti a little bit longer. I cooked it for about 3-4 minutes in boiling water. The noodles were bendable, but a little too firm that they were breaking while I was handling them. I recommend cooking them as their packaging instructs.
– I did not have orange or purple liquid watercolors, so I mixed colors to make them. Next time, I would probably use the actual color instead of blending two together.
– I would have laid the noodles in a thinner layer to dry. It took longer than expected for them to dry.
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All activities here are activities I feel are safe for my own children. As your child’s parents/guardians, you will need to decide what you feel is safe for your family. I always encourage contacting your child’s pediatrician for guidance if you are not sure about the safety/age appropriateness of an activity. All activities on this blog are intended to be performed with adult supervision. Appropriate and reasonable caution should be used when activities call for the use of materials that could potentially be harmful, such as scissors, or items that could present a choking risk (small items), or a drowning risk (water activities), and with introducing a new food/ingredient to a child (allergies). Observe caution and safety at all times. The author and blog disclaim liability for any damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from engaging in any of these activities on this blog.