Sensory play with Disney Pixar’s Luca

I’ve spoken about my love of Italy before, so when I heard about Disney Pixar’s new release “Luca”, I knew it would be a movie we’d be setting our reminders for. Set in the unmistakeable beauty of the Italian Riviera, Luca is the coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Follow along as Luca and Alberto experience adventure with their newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: Luca is a sea monster from another world just below the water’s surface. Together the two embark on a summer filled with the magic of youth and friendship as they brave the water’s surface to venture to the human town of Portorosso.

We wanted to tap in on some of these seaside moments with a little unique Italian flair. A coral reef mini world made out of pasta! Unlock your child’s imagination with some sensory play to celebrate this fun family movie which hits Cinemas on 18 June 2021 and we can’t wait to follow along on his seaside adventures.

To make your “Underwater Coral Reef” Small World is super easy.

Create a base out of “edible sand”. This is super easy to make with flour, water and food colouring baked at short intervals in the oven. I then crushed up some cereal to add in some depth to the colour.

Dye your Pasta – Take a large Ziplock bag, put about ¼ cup vinegar (or rubbing alcohol) and food colouring. The more food colouring you use, the more vibrant your colours will be. Massage the colours around until mixed and then add in about 2 cups of dry pasta. Dry in the sun. Another option for slightly older children would be to just mix the dry pasta up with some acrylic paint.

Add in a few sea creatures, I used my little Toobs characters, as well as a few small pebbles and shells. Let your kids explore the magical “undersea” wonderland and use the opportunity to teach them about the ocean and the beauty of the reef.

Please note: All activities should be supervised, even though this activity may be “taste safe”, small pasta pieces can still be a choking hazard.

I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the beautiful movie then to play with pasta. You could also get stuck into some play safe “Ice Cream Dough” to resemble the glorious flavours of gelato. You can see that recipe here.

Whatever you choose to make, take the time to create beautiful memories and have fun celebrating the rich history of Italy. Directed by Academy Award nominee Enrico Casarosa and produced by Andrea Warren “Luca” hits cinemas across Africa from June 18, 2021 and you can bet we will be first in line to watch it !

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