Sensory Activity : Spaghetti Potion

We turned The Imagination Tree's bug slime spaghetti [eww!] into a sensory activity, especially for Halloween!

I simply cooked up a package of spaghetti noodles, drained them and rinsed it with cold water to cool it down quickly.

Divide the spaghetti and add food coloring of your choice. [I chose orange, purple and black for Halloween.] If you'd like, let the kids mix up the colors. I chose to do it myself since I was just playing with George. 

Add a little vegetable oil, too, to keep the noodles slimy for great sensory play!

[I added oil both before and after I colored it, but I think the color would take even better if didn't add the oil beforehand, though it was still pretty vibrant!]

I set them outside in containers for George to explore.

And he did...

Surprisingly, he was actually very hesitant to touch it with his hands.

Along with the colored spaghetti, I set out measuring spoons and cups, a soup ladle, a funnel and a large bucket.

Once George got the courage to touch the slimy spaghetti, 

he mostly liked to see if he could pull it apart. 

Over and over.

[There were lots of little tiny pieces!]

I tried my best to sit back and watch, and let him explore entirely on his own.

But this colored spaghetti was so enticing, I had to join in!

I thought the funnel would add a nice effect.

I thought it would be easy to pull the spaghetti through the hole.

Maybe I put too much in, because it was hard for even me to pull out of it!

George attempted it, too. 

Breaking the pieces into even smaller pieces than he was doing before!

Finally, the bucket was discovered.

The colored spaghetti became a potion in the cauldron for Halloween.

Potions were mixed and mixed, in and out of the cauldron!

All parts explored the spaghetti's slimy texture. 

Fingers.... mouths... hair... ears... 

A sensory sliminess and ooey gooey good time.

And boy was it messy.

[So glad we took this one outside!]

Our hands did stain a little from the food coloring, but it came off in the bath that night.

If you do it inside, maybe throw down a vinyl tablecloth on the floor before starting.

A slimy mess is worth the sensory fun, right?

Linking this up to the wonderful Play Academy over at NurtureStore.

Henry is 3 years. George is 1 year.
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