DIY Rainbow Rice Sensory Bin

Does anyone else feel like March and April are cruel, in-between months? Maybe it’s a Midwest thing? The snow has melted, the sun is shining… but it is flat cold. When Spring Fever meets Cabin Fever, I like to have a few Mom Hacks in my bags of tricks to keep the girls occupied. My rainbow rice sensory bin is a quick and easy DIY project, provides hours of fun, and it looks like a sunny spring day!

What you need:

• plastic storage container (this one is the perfect size!)
• white rice
• vinegar
• gel food coloring
• plastic bags

What you do:

1. First, decide how many colors you want. That will determine how many plastic bags you will need. For my rainbow, I used 6. Pour one cup of rice into each plastic bag. I found that ratio perfect for the container I used, but you could play around with amounts of rice if you’re doing less colors, or have a bigger bin!
2. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to a bag full of rice, and add a generous amount of gel food coloring. Seal the bag, locking out as much air as you can. Shake and work the bag carefully until the color has been evenly distributed throughout the rice.
3. Repeat for as many colors/bags as you are doing.
4. Open the bags, in a well-ventilated area, and let sit for 2-3 hours. This will help with the vinegar smell. I left ours on the porch!
5. To achieve the rainbow in your container, use the full bags as a barrier, and carefully pour the rice in the order you want. (Pro tip: this will stay pretty for exactly 10 seconds, so snap a picture fast!)

We added some crystal vase fillers and plastic Dollar Spot toys to our rice, and the girls dug with spoons. They played for HOURS looking for “buried treasure”. Have you made a sensory bin for your kids before? Another favorite around here is one with water beads! I would love to hear your ideas in the comments below!