Rainbow pasta & Playdough

Rainbows are always fun & colorful. This simple fine motor & color matching activity is a fun way for your preschoolers to learn about rainbows.

What you need

• Rigatoni/Penne pasta (Rainbow colors) – Click here to learn how to color pasta for kids play
• Pipecleaners (One in each Rainbow color)
• Playdough (white) – Click here for playdough Recipes

How to

We will be making rainbows in two fun ways. Before you start the activity, explain to your kids what you will be doing.

• Divide the white playdough into two parts. Roll them and place them on a tray parallel to each other. The white playdough symbolizes the clouds.
• Talk about different colors in a rainbow and their order.
• Let your LO poke the pipecleaner on to one side of the playdough in rainbow order.
• Color sort the pasta.
• Match the pasta to the pipecleaners and thread them into it. About 5-6 rigatonis make a stable pasta tower. I was holding the pipecleaners for support as Miss A threaded the pastas.
• Bend the pipecleaner and poke on the other playdough roll forming an arch. Press the end pasta onto the playdough for a stable rainbow.
• You could also lace the pasta onto the pipecleaner and then poke them onto the playdough to form arch.

The other way to create rainbows with pasta & playdough

• Divide the playdough into seven parts.
• Roll the playdough, place on a tray to make an arch.
• Repeat the above step to form a rainbow shape.
• Color sort the pasta.
• Press the pasta onto the playdough in rainbow order.
• You could also use rainbow coloured playdough for this activity.