Sensory Spaghetti & Activity Sheet

Team GCM member, Jenna, shows you how to do a colorful sensory experience using cooked spaghetti!

Materials:

1 box of spaghetti

1 set of tongs

1 large pot & strainer

4 small plastic containers

1 large plastic container

4 different colors of food dye

4 Ziplock bags

Recommended Materials: plastic tablecloth to protect surfaces

Directions:

1. Have an adult help you cook a box of spaghetti on the stove. 
2. When the spaghetti is flexible, take the pot off the stove and strain the spaghetti in a sink.
3. Carefully rinse the spaghetti with cold water.  Be careful! It’s very hot.
4. Once the spaghetti is cooled, separate it into the four small plastic containers, making four equal sections of spaghetti.
5. Use the tongs (or your hands!) to put each section into a ziplock bag.
6. Add color! Be generous with the food dye. What happens when you add multiple colors of food dye? What new colors can you create?
7. Close the ziplock bag and manipulate the bag using your hands to spread the food dye around. What does this feel like? What’s one word to describe what you feel when you squeeze the bag?
8. When you have your desired color, use the tongs to remove the spaghetti from its bag and place each color in the large plastic container.
9. Rinse each color individually in the strainer to rinse off any excess color (this will prevent food dye from getting all over your hands).
10. Place the spaghetti back in the large bin and get ready to play!
11. The most important step of all… have fun!

What to do with the spaghetti:

• Can you sort the colors into their own separate plastic containers?
• Can you mix all the colors together?
• Can you sort the colors after you’ve mixed all the colors together?
• Try to describe what it feels like to touch the spaghetti with your hands.
• What kind of pictures can you make using the different colors of spaghetti? 
• Practice picking up individual pieces of spaghetti (great way to work on fine motor skills!)
• Create your own games and activities!

Clean up is very simple! If you used a disposable table cloth, simply roll up the table cloth with the mess on it and throw it away. The food dye should wash off your hands and containers with a little soap.

Click the image to download and share your kiddo’s creation with the hashtag #GCMatHome Team GCM Creators: Jenna & Lauren