Plate Rainbow Craft

Feb 19, 201317,124 views

Crafts

by TurkeyMom in Crafts

Ages2–5 yrs

Prep25 min

Activity30 min

Leveleasy

MessMedium

Works for1:1 · Small group · Class

Kids paint seven Styrofoam plate strips in rainbow colors, then stand them up in play dough walls with cotton wool clouds and a pot of golden treasure. Calling out and counting the colors makes it a color, counting and fine motor activity for St. Patrick's Day.

⚠️ Safety first

Adult does the drawing and cutting of the Styrofoam strips with scissors.
Acrylic paint can stain clothes and isn't meant for mouths. Cover the table and supervise toddlers closely.
Cotton balls, play dough and small paper treasure bits are choking hazards for toddlers who still mouth things. Supervise closely.
Many play doughs contain wheat. Check the ingredients for kids with wheat or gluten allergies.

Before the kids arrive

Adult: draw 2 rainbows on a Styrofoam plate, one in each semicircle, with 7 curves each.
Adult: cut out the 7 strips along the curves, as uniform as possible.
Paint a small salsa container black with acrylics so it can dry before it becomes the treasure pot.

Steps

Adult: draw 2 rainbows of 7 curves on a Styrofoam plate, one in each half.
Adult: cut out 7 strips along the curves of each rainbow, keeping them as uniform as possible.
Hold a strip down with one finger and paint it a rainbow color with the other hand.
Call out each color as you paint it, and count the strips.
Set the painted strips out to dry. We came back the next day.
Roll play dough into cylinders and make 2 mini walls on blue construction paper.
Poke small holes in the play dough, press the strip ends in, in rainbow order, and cover with more dough if needed.
Stick cotton wool at one end for the clouds.
Cut golden paper into treasure bits and spread them in the black-painted salsa container at the other end.
Toddlers: stick the painted strips flat onto white construction paper instead.

Tips

Try to be as uniform as possible with the strips so it doesn't get too complicated when you start attaching them to the play dough.from the author
Holding the plate strip with a finger and painting with the other hand was a great fine motor exercise for both the toddler and the preschooler.from the author
Attaching the rainbow to play dough is best suited for preschool age and above.from the author
It's easier to make small holes in the play dough first, press the end of the strip in, and cover it with more play dough if need be.from the author
It's a fun little exercise if you do one end and the child does the other. Good for collaborative work.from the author
Crafts like this are a great way to start talking about St. Patrick's Day, rainbows and leprechauns.from the author

Make it your own

Toddler version: stick the painted rainbow strips flat onto white construction paper instead of standing them in play dough.

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · February 2013

First, I drew 2 rainbows on a Styrofoam plate, then cut out 7 strips along the curves. Try to be as uniform as possible so attaching them later doesn't get complicated.

materials for rainbow craft — First, I drew 2 rainbows on a Styrofoam plate, then cut out 7 strips along the curves. Try to be as uniform as possible so attaching them later doesn't get complicated.

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What readers say

💬 4 comments

🎉 Worked for us

Great for fine motor and visual skills

A reader praised the craft as a cute idea that also builds fine motor and visual skills, and planned to share it.

“Such a cute idea! Great for fine motor and visual skills, as well!”
Katherine Collmer, Feb 2013

Read all 4 comments

rachel · Jun 2013

Very cute and perfect for kids!
Pinky · Mar 2013

This was great. Can you share some ideas for infants 3 months to 1 year? Thanks
Katherine Collmer · Feb 2013

Such a cute idea! Great for fine motor and visual skills, as well! I will share:)

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