Today is National Pasta Day, which inspired me to set up an activity for my Littles. Since I have lots of different types of pasta in my pantry at the moment, I don't mind sparing a box or two. Especially if its going to keep my kiddos busily engaged for a bit. Anything to keep those little hands and minds busy.
For today's activity, I used a box of Rigatoni (which can be found at most grocery stores), pipe cleaners and lacing strings (I took them from a lacing card set), and a large plastic bowl. I dumped the pasta in the bowl and set the pipe cleaners and strings next to the bowl. I didn't give any instructions, but I did string a few pasta on a pipe cleaner as I sat next to them. My Daughter saw me and copied. I let them go on their own from there.
My Daughter got possessive about the pasta...she's still learning to share. But she got right into the play. She had fun digging her hands in the bowl, stirring it around. She counted the pasta, and strung the pasta on the pipe cleaners. She got really creative and said she was making pizza. Who doesn't like pasta pizza, right?
Since she wasn't sharing very well, I setup another bowl of Fussili pasta for little brother. It was more of a sensory experience for him. He had fun feeling the pasta; rolling it around; scattering it about. It kept him engrossed.
I love to see where my kids go to in their play. When I watch them at play, I can see their gears turning. It progresses from what I initially set out to something else entirely. The pasta play for my Daughter led to a whole dramatic experience that incorporated a stuffed Dalmatian being surrounded by apples. See...not the stringing activity I originally envisioned.
Both my kids also learned that dry uncooked pasta doesn't taste as good as cooked. Lol!
I hope that this activity inspires you to come up with your own play experience. Kids really don't need expensive toys to play with. Just use what you have on hand.
Do you let your kids play with their food?
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