This project is always a huge favorite for Miles, mostly because the possibilities are endless, and his play goes on for far longer than i anticipate, which is awesome. we usually use this rice for collage projects, and as a bonus, it is also amazing textural exploration for toddlers when you add it to playdough!
for this project i used neon tempera paint, white rice, and a small amount of hand sanitizer to keep the color from transferring onto his hands while he plays.
I use 4-6 quart ziploc bags, which i fill with white rice, a squeeze of paint (about a tablespoon) and hand santizer (about a teaspoon)
I mix each paint color inside the bag until the paint is evenly distributed on the rice.
then i pour out the colored rice on on a cookie sheet for about 5 minutes at 250 degrees. you can also air dry, but i have found that baking method keeps the rice un-clumped and colorful for longer.
i use loose parts such as acorns, felt balls, felt leaves, and for this particular project, i paired it with our favorite book about color to reinforce all of the magical colors that we were seeing during this play session. we have been doing the daily read aloud challenge, where we make it a goal to read aloud at least ten minutes every day, so i like to pair our sensory trays with books when i can