How to Dye Pasta for Play

We use dyed pasta and rice in plenty of activities.  Here is our favorite way to color it!

1.  Put your pasta into separate containers.  We use bowls that won't stain.  If you use a plastic bag, try a strong freezer type.  

2.  Add a few tablespoons of rubbing alcohol.  Less is better in the beginning since you can always add more.

3.  Stir in a bit of food coloring.  For this project, we used Betty Crocker's Classic Gel Food Coloring in primary colors.  Mix, mix, mix!  Or if you're using a bag, shake, shake, shake!

4.  Transfer the pasta to a baking sheet to dry.  You may choose to line the sheets with paper towels, but in our house we try to create with less trash.

5.  Set the pasta out to dry.  It will take a few hours, give or take, depending on the weather.  You can mix the pasta around occasionally to speed up the process.

The end result does not smell like alcohol, but if you prefer, you can use vinegar as Happy Hooligans did!

This pasta was used in our butterfly life cycle sensory bin initially, but we later strung necklaces and used the stars as sprinkles in our ice cream dough!  What is your favorite use for colored pasta or rice?