Click here to read Pasta Sensory Bin Activity for Free Play Exploration on Hands On As We Grow®
Looking for a super easy activity that keeps the kiddos entertained and learning at the same time? Uncooked, dry noodles make for a pasta sensory bin play time for toddlers and preschoolers. Watch them learn and explore with their sense of touch and even sound.
For this sensory activity just set out a tub of dry pasta noodles along with several items to play with and your kids will have so much fun!
Also check out 39 Edible Sensory Play Ideas for Little Ones for more sensory fun!
What do you put in a pasta sensory bin?
Items we included in our pasta touch & sound sensory bin:
- Macaroni (or other small dry pasta)
- Bottles with lids (several sizes would be great!)
- Measuring cups and scoops
- A bin of some sort! A plastic tub, or a cake pan works great.
But you could include any others scoops, spoons, a tray, measuring devices, bowls, or bottles. And even any other pantry item, it doesn’t have to be limited to dry pasta!
You could also add other sensory bin filler elements like pom poms, pipe cleaners, or other craft items you may have.
You could take it a step further and dye pasta if you’d like (you can use the same method that we use to dye our rainbow rice, you just need food coloring and vinegar). We like simple here, so we kept the pasta al natural.
Pro sensory bin tip you must know!
Set your sensory bin on a blanket, or even better would be a plastic shower curtain, to help contain the mess.
The blanket doesn’t only makes it easier for clean up. But it also sets boundaries with the sensory bin for the kids to keep the pasta in an area during play. (And not all over the entire house).
Get more tips on keeping messy play clean!
Of course, my boys immediately begin filling up the bottles with the pasta. Pouring them into each other and out again.
And then, repeat. Over and over.
This is sneaking in some fine motor skills and a little critical thinking as they’re exploring.
Use the Pasta to Explore the Sense of Sound!
What I didn’t expect was the maracas that my boys made!
Once the bottles were filled and lids tightly secured, the boys shook them and made noises!
The pasta sensory bin play time took a new turn!
Henry even did a little comparison to see how the pasta sounded different in each of the bottles.
I asked them, “Is this bottle quieter or louder when its shaken?”
And then, “Does the pasta sound higher or lower?”
As a result we turned this sensory activity into something other than for just the sense of touch, but for hearing too!
You can do this with any type of small container as long as you have a lit to close it with. Old spice jars or Tupperware containers work great! Try getting different sizes, or different materials (plastic versus glass).
Cleaning up the pasta turned into Sensory Play too!
When it was time to clean up the sensory bin, my boys diligently scooped all the pasta noodles back into the large bottle again for storage.
During that, Dad stopped by and saw it was taking quite awhile and found a better solution.
A piece of paper as a funnel to pour the pasta through. It works slick and the boys just thought it was great that a piece of paper could be used for something other than writing on!
We have done a bunch more simple sensory activities like this, including corn meal, cloud dough, shaving cream, and bubbles!
Usually our sensory activities are about the sense of touch. I’m excited to share a post with you about the other 4 senses!
Check out 48 Five Senses Activities for Kids to Explore All Five
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