# Rainbow Colored Marshmallows > Dye mini marshmallows with water and gel food color, dry them overnight on wax paper, then dust off the stickiness. You get a rainbow of play pieces for counting, sorting, patterning and building. - URL: https://www.funlittles.com/colored-marshmallows-for-play-and-learning/ - Ages: 3–8 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: medium - Time: prep 55 min, activity 30 min - Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class - Skills: colors, counting, sorting, patterning, engineering, fine-motor - Cautions: food-dye, ingestion-risk, wheat-gluten, corn ## Materials (one batch) - Mini marshmallows - 1 squirt Gel food color - 2 tbsp Water (household) - 7 piece Bowls (household) - 1 piece Small cup for mixing color (household) - 1 piece Spoon (household) - 1 piece Cookie sheet (household) - Wax paper (household) - Powdered sugar, baking soda or white flour (household) - 1 piece Pastry brush (optional) (household) - 1 piece Airtight zippered plastic bag (optional) (household) - Jumbo marshmallows (optional) - Toothpicks (optional) ## Substitutions - Instead of pastry brush: Foil pan (Drop the dusted marshmallows in a foil pan and shake them to remove the excess white powder.) - Instead of dusting powder: Baking soda or powdered sugar instead of flour (The author lists all three as options. Skipping flour avoids wheat.) ## Safety - Play material, not a snack: once dyed and dusted with baking soda or flour, these marshmallows are for play only. Don't let kids eat them. - Mini marshmallows are a choking hazard for young children. Supervise closely at all times, especially with toddlers and preschoolers. - Toothpicks have sharp points. An adult should supervise any building with them. - Gel food color can stain hands, clothes and surfaces. Cover the table and consider aprons. - Brush and shake off dusting powder gently to keep the powder from getting into the air or eyes. ## Before you start - Color the marshmallows at least a day ahead: they need to dry overnight before dusting and play. - Line cookie sheets with wax paper before you start dyeing, so each color can go straight onto the sheet. ## Steps 1. Separate the mini marshmallows into 7 bowls, one for each rainbow color. 2. In a separate cup, mix 2 tbsp of water with 1 squirt of gel food color until even. 3. Pour the color mixture into one bowl of marshmallows and stir until the color is evenly spread. 4. Right away, lay the wet marshmallows out on a wax-paper-lined cookie sheet, spread apart as much as possible. 5. Repeat with the next color, one bowl at a time. 6. Let the marshmallows dry, ideally overnight. 7. Gently peel them off the wax paper and drop them into a bowl of powdered sugar, baking soda or white flour. Coat them gently to remove the stickiness. 8. Brush off the extra powder with a pastry brush, or shake them in a foil pan. 9. Use them to count, sort, pattern and build. Toothpicks and jumbo marshmallows are great for building. ## Tips - Yeah, DON'T let the wet colored marshmallows sit in a bowl for a long time. As soon as you make one color, transfer it to the cookie sheet. - Spreading them out on the wax paper takes a while, but if you do it now, removing them from the cookie sheet will be much easier. - If they are a little bit stuck to each other, it is ok. Don't fret. - Painting those tiny ones was daunting, so we opted to dye them with food color. - To store them, pour them into an airtight zippered bag with some more baking soda, seal it and shake. They should stay dry that way. - Made in rainbow colors, this makes a great St. Patrick's Day activity. ## The original post by TurkeyMom (2015) Color mini marshmallows and use them in art activities and engineering activities for kids. { All our [**art recipes**](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/art-recipe/) here} **Materials** - Mini marshmallows - Jumbo marshmallows - **[Toothpicks](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RAFUIU/?tag=blmemo-20)** - **[AmeriColor Gel Food Color](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0029YDR82/?tag=blmemo-20)** ### How to make colored marshmallows Following our [**painting jumbo marshmallows**](https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-for-kids-painting-marshmallows/) we wanted to color mini marshmallows as well. Painting those tiny ones was daunting so we opted to dye them with food color. { Here is a wonderful [**Ultimate Guide to Dying Sensory Materials**](http://www.andnextcomesl.com/2014/07/sensory-play-guide-how-to-dye-sensory.html)} from And Next Comes L. Separate the mini marshmallows into 7 bowls. In a separate cup add 2 tbsp of water and 1 squirt of gel food color. { We LOVE **[AmeriColor Gel Color](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0029YDR82/?tag=blmemo-20)** for their vibrant colors} Mix the water and the food color well to make an even mixture. This art recipe makes for a great St.Patrick's Day activity when we make it in rainbow colors Pour the water and food color mixture into the marshmallows bowl and mix well until the color is evenly spread. Yeah DON'T DO THIS. Don't let the wet colored marshmallows sit in a bowl for a long time. I set all the colors up because I'm a rainbow lover and love [**rainbow projects for kids**.](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/rainbow/) I always want to see the projects with a rainbow vision. As soon as you make one color immediately transfer them to a cookie sheet { explained below} Line a cookie sheet with wax paper and lay out your marshmallows. Try to have them separated as much as possible. I know this takes a while. But if you do this now, removing them from the cookie sheet will be much easier. Some more rainbow colored marshmallows. If they are little bit sticking to each other, it is ok. Don't fret. Once the marshmallows are dry { overnight is good} gently peel them off the wax paper and drop them in a bowl of powdered sugar/baking soda/white flour. Gently use the white powder to spread over your marshmallows to remove the stickiness. Then if you want drop the lot in a bowl and brush off the excess powder with a pastry brush. Alternatively you can also drop them in a foil pan and shake them off to remove the excess white. Here are our rainbow colored marshmallows ready for playing, learning and creating. ### Storing the colored marshmallows To store these marshmallow, simply pour them into a airtight Ziploc Bag {plastic, zippered baggie} with some more baking soda. Seal the bag and give it a shake for the powder to spread and remove the stickiness. They should stay dry that way. Pull them out when you want to do some playing. ### How will you play with these super fun colored marshmallows? Counting? Sorting? Patterning? Building? Find out how we [**played with these colored marshmallows.**](https://www.funlittles.com/engineering-kids-build-rainbow-marshmallow-structures/) Talk to us in the comments