Colored rice is a staple in this homeschooling Mama’s manipulative arsenal.
Montessori transferring activities, craft projects, lessons on color, weight and volume are just a few ideas colored rice can be used in.
I spent an hour last week whipping up new batches to use in our homeschooling this month.
The whole process is cheap and easy. My kinda fun.
I used regular rubbing alcohol. There are other ways using just plain water and even vinegar.
I chose alcohol because the rice dries quicker using this technique.
In a quart sized mason jar (you could also use a baggie) I added 2 teaspoons of the rubbing alcohol and some food coloring. You can use gel coloring or the usual liquid coloring.
You could even go with a more natural approach and use beet puree to produce a nice pink for your rice.
Into that 2 teaspoons of alcohol and coloring, add about 1 cup of rice. Close off your container and shake. Continue shaking until all of your rice is the color you have chosen.
I lined my jelly roll pans with paper towels, and then spread out my colored rice. I left it there until it was dry enough to put into jars.
You can stick with single colors, or mix your food colorings to create specialty colors.
Wonder how I get stuff like this done with a certain Brave Hero on the loose? I bribe one of my older kids to engage Parker in various learning activities.
Or wrassle our Hero to the floor and put a newly learned wrestling move on him.
Whatever works best.
Our colored rice rainbow. Kinda pretty don’t ya think?
What kind of homemade manipulatives do YOU create?
PS:Â If you are interested, I’ll share the activities we do with our colored rice!
Ooo.. they sure do look pretty! – and yes, please do share your projects with these colored rice; would love to check out your ideas.
Ann Thomas recently posted..Shop Crush – Bikbik & Roro
Love the rainbow, please share the activities too!!!
Sue Mayer recently posted..Feeling Out of Sorts or Sorta Feeling
Love this, please share your activities
Heidi recently posted..Time For a New Theme – Help
We would love to see what activites you do as well. We haven’t attempted rice yet, as we are still in the “fliging everything I touch” phase.
This is on our to do list though. 
Steph and Christopher
Stephanie Wyatt recently posted..December Review Long – sorry
Stephanie,
I ‘ll have to show you how I hold Parker’s left arm still while shadowing his right hand.
Parker is a flinger too……the fastest in the West!
I love this project! Claire is too young to do much with rice except eat it, but I have this bookmarked for later!
Melissa recently posted..I felt bad
You totally inspired me – I made 6 different colors of rice this evening. I will save it for something really fun later on! Thanks for the great instructions!!
I have a snow day today and plan to make rice using your recipe. Thanks so much!
Thanks for sharing this. I love the rainbow rice. I’ve included your post on my weekly favorites here: http://play2grow.blogspot.com/2011/01/weekly-favorites-for-january-16-2011.html
Darcey recently posted..Weekly Favorites for January 16- 2011
What a great idea. I wonder if that is how they color sand for those sand sculptures. You could easily use rice too, easier to clean up.
Would love you hear your crafts ideas I have 4 kids thanks for your time
This was so easy, I just had to share it on my site and added your link! Thanks.
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