I love experimenting with every day items found around the house for play. Pasta, beans, flour; they all make such incredible bases for children to learn and explore. When you pair them up with a “theme” it makes for a great educational experience.
Here’s an easy, “undersea” DRY sensory tray that you could create for your little ones to play with. A bright “coral reef” fantasy land to explore and create. Unlock your child’s imagination with some sensory play that’s easy to create at home.
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. You can see how to create your own beach sand on my Instagram over here.
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.
Thanks for sharing !