# Rainbow Rice Small World Play
> Color small batches of rice by shaking them with a tiny drop of gel food color. Spread the rice in a shallow tub or on a cookie sheet with favorite small toys for calming, imaginative small world play.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/quick-play-idea-with-rainbow-rice/
- Ages: 3–6 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: medium
- Time: prep 15 min, activity 30 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class
- Skills: imaginative-play, problem-solving, sensory-exploration, storytelling
- Cautions: food-dye, ingestion-risk

## Materials (one batch)
- Uncooked white rice (household)
- 1 drop Gel food coloring
- 1 piece Small container with lid (household)
- 1 piece Shallow tub or cookie sheet (household)
- Favorite small toys (household)
- Play dough (optional)

## Substitutions
- Instead of rice: Any dry sensory base (The author says you don't have to use colored rice; any dry sensory base works.)

## Safety
- Dry rice and small toys are choking hazards. Supervise closely, especially with kids who still mouth things.
- Colored rice is for play, not for eating.
- An adult runs the microwave step.
- Gel food color can stain hands and surfaces. Let the rice dry fully before play.

## Before you start
- Make the colored rice ahead of time. The author made hers earlier in the week.
- Gather a container of favorite small toys.

## Steps
1. Put a small amount of rice in a small container with a lid.
2. Add a tiny drop of food color, close the lid and SHAKE until the color is even.
3. Adult: pop the colored rice in the microwave for 5 seconds.
4. Repeat with a new color for each batch to make a rainbow.
5. Spread the multi-colored rice in a shallow tub or on a cookie sheet.
6. Set out a container of favorite small toys next to the rice as an invitation to play.
7. Let kids build a small world and make up story lines with the toys.
8. When a problem comes up, like a toy that won't stand, ask 'How can you make it stand?' and let kids find a fix.

## Tips
- When I need to calm the kids down, I divert them to an activity that needs thinking, imagination or concentration. Something about rice or any sensory play is very calming.
- A cookie sheet works, but a bigger tub is recommended.
- There's nothing new here: simply adding a new sensory element gave new life to toys the kids have had forever.
- Ameri Gel food color always seems to give a vibrant hue.
- Our 4-year-old figured out on her own that play dough would make her doll stand up in the rice.
- Adding something different keeps kids interested for a long time and helps calm them down. (from readers)

## FAQ
**What toys were used?** The post shows pet shop toys and a Lalaloopsy doll with small accessories. Any favorite small toys work.
**Do I have to color the rice?** No. The author says any dry sensory base works. She used colored rice because she had it on hand.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2013)

Did you know that we have a quick play ideas category here on the blog? Yeah, we have one and I have been ignoring it since we created it in the hopes of accumulating simple play ideas. I love having a stash of easy play ideas for those days when all things fail on the kids and parenting front. With that in mind, I have decided to share a **basic kids activity idea every Friday with you all.** Today's post is about using a **[sensory base](https://www.funlittles.com/sensory-activities-for-kids/)** and small toys.When I need to calm down the kids, I divert them to a kids activity that needs a good amount of thinking, imagination or concentration. It works because they are intently focusing on the present..Recently I used rainbow rice, cookie sheet ( bigger tub recommended) and small toys to avoid a major melt down. Something about rice or any sensory play is very calming.

### Small World Play using Rainbow Rice.

You don't have to use colored rice, any dry sensory base works. I had colored rice on hand and used it. There are plenty of recipes for making colored rice and they are all great. However I used this very simple recipe earlier that week and made small amounts of colored rice.

 My rainbow rice **"recipe"** Find a small container with lid Fill it with small amount of rice Add a tiny drop of food color and SHAKE! Once you get a uniform color pop the rice in the microwave for 5 seconds and you are done. Fill up a shallow tub with the multi colored rice and add any favorite toys. I used Ameri Gel Food color and love it. They always seem to give a vibrant hue.
Here is our invitation to play

 My 4 year old immediately set out to create a small world with story lines. It was wonderful to watch solve problems she had with her world. " Oh mom, this Lala Loopsy toy is not standing"..(Insert whine). Mom gently suggests" How can you make her stand? .. More whining- "Mooom she keeps falling down" 2 minutes later, "I know may be I'll use play dough." Great!



So many pet shop toys need a home.



If you think about it, there is nothing new here. My kids have been playing with these toys for ever . Simply by adding a new sensory element we have given new life to the toys. That alone inspired so much imaginative play.



A few of our favorite products

Thanks for reading

See you next Friday for another quick play idea.

Visit our [**Sensory Bins**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/sensory-bins/) Category Page. Visit our [**Small World**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/small-world/)s Category Page