A Simple Rainbow Sensory Bin That Kids Love
A rainbow sensory bin is one of those activities that looks impressive but is secretly very easy. If I can pull this together on a busy afternoon, anyone can. My kids love digging through the colors to hunt for little “buried treasures,” so it quickly became one of our go-to low-prep activities.
What You Need
- 2 to 3 packages of spaghetti noodles, cooked, drained, and cooled
- A box of assorted food-safe food coloring - if you're a no artificial dyes family, try these
- Gallon-size zip-top bags
- Small toys or objects to hide in the bin. You can even use objects around the house for this, just pick a theme and collect! Your kids will be excited just to find something.
- Plastic bin (these bins from Amazon will ship quickly and are a good sub for the Ikea Trofast)
How to Make the Rainbow Noodles
Start by deciding how many colors you want. Squeeze a few drops of food coloring into a ziploc bag, add a handful of noodles, seal the bag, and shake until everything is coated. If you want a brighter color, add another drop or two and repeat. Keep going color by color until you’ve made your full rainbow. Store the bags in the fridge until you're ready to use them.
Set Up the Sensory Bin
Once the noodles are ready, pile them into a bin or large container. Tuck in small toys, figurines, puzzle pieces, or anything your child can safely dig for. My kids treat it like a treasure hunt and stay busy far longer than I expect.
Why We Love This Activity
The colors are fun, the texture keeps little hands engaged, and cleanup is surprisingly simple. It’s also easy to adapt based on what you have around the house. If you’re looking for an activity that checks all the boxes for toddlers and preschoolers, this one is worth trying.
