Pasta Sensory Bin
A bin of dry pasta to scoop, pour and dig through. Quiet for a while.
- Ages
- 18 mo–4 yrs
- Play
- 15–40 min
- Prep
- 3 min
- Mess
- some
- Energy
- calm
- Where
- on the floor
You’ll need
Things you probably have at home.
- dry pastaGet it on Amazon
- a bin or big bowlGet it on Amazon
Optional
- scoops, cups and spoons
- a funnel or colanderGet it on Amazon
- toys to bury
How to play
Before you start: Tip a bag or two of dry pasta into a bin on a sheet or towel. Put scoops and cups beside it.
Run your hands through the pasta and let them hear it.
Hand them a scoop and a cup and let them fill and tip.
Bury a toy and let them dig for it.
Pour pasta through a colander or funnel together.
Leave them to it. You can sit beside them with a coffee.
What it helps with
Keep it safe
- Small pasta shapes can be a choking risk. Use big shapes like rigatoni for younger toddlers and stay close.
Make it different next time
- Mix two shapes and sort them into separate cups.
- Dye the pasta with food coloring and vinegar, the same way as rainbow rice.
Cleanup: Tip the sheet back into the bin. Store the pasta in a sealed tub for next time, not for dinner.
Three more like this
Learn something
Rainbow Rice
20–45 min 2–6 yrs Some mess- uncooked white rice
- food coloring
- white vinegar
- zip-top bags
Learn something
Small World Bin
25–90 min 2–9 yrs Messy- small figuresto buy
- a shallow tub or tray
- a filler like rice or dry pasta
