Creating your own rainbow rice is incredibly simple! All you need is plain rice and paint. There are several methods for coloring rice, and we have tested them all. This technique is our preferred one.
RELATED: How to Make Playdough
How to Make Rainbow Rice
Plain rice and paint are all you need to create your own sensory-colored rice.
You’ll also want to have on hand:
- 6 spacious ziploc bags (one for every color)
- Non-toxic acrylic paint
- Wax paper or parchment paper for drying
A roomy storage bin for holding the rice (we used a 28 quart container)
Measuring cups, spoons, and other objects to explore with the rice afterward.
Watch the Video Tutorial
Acrylic Paint vs Food Coloring
We have previously prepared rainbow rice using food coloring and liquid watercolors. When using food coloring, most instructions require either adding vinegar, which may have an odor, or baking the rice, creating an extra step. Food coloring is also considerably messier to handle. It may stain your work surfaces and is more difficult to clean.
Liquid watercolors are also possible, but we discovered that achieving the same coverage and brightness provided by acrylic paint required using a large amount from the watercolor bottle. In addition, liquid watercolors generally cost much more than acrylic paint.
Is this Rice Taste Safe?
Although most paints are non-toxic, we do not suggest using paint for young children who might try tasting the rice. If you have a small toddler who still puts objects in their mouth, food coloring is the safer choice. The same process can be used with food coloring. Keep in mind that wet food coloring can stain surfaces, so be sure to shield your work area while using it.
How to Dye Rice
To use food coloring instead, leave out the paint and mix the food coloring into the recipe below. You may include one teaspoon of vinegar per cup of rice.
Ideas for using colored rice:
- Play with kitchen items such as measuring cups and funnels
- Include playthings like plastic dinosaurs, insects, or mini dump trucks
- Repurpose items such as paper towel tubes, small boxes, or cleaned margarine containers
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Place 3 cups of rice into a large ziploc bag.
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Begin with a generous squeeze of paint. Knead the bag until the rice is thoroughly coated. It is best to use a small amount of paint first, adding more only when necessary. Using less paint helps prevent the grains from clumping together. Continue adding paint until all the rice is covered and no white grains remain.
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After everything is well combined, spread the rice evenly over parchment paper placed on a baking tray.
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Allow the rice to air-dry for 1-2 hours. Should it remain damp, keep the grains spread out so the paint can dry properly.
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Follow these steps again for every color you want to create. We prepared red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.
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Wash your ziploc bags once finished and save them for preparing rainbow rice another time. Alternatively, reuse the bags to keep craft materials organized.
When mixing 3 cups of rice feels like too much for one bag, prepare it in 2 portions by adding 1.5 cups of rice to the bag at a time.
For a smaller sensory bin, reduce the quantity of rice required.
The rice stays usable for at least one month, although our sensory rice has lasted considerably longer.
Store it in a cool, dry location.
We really enjoy how simple this rainbow rice is to prepare. It is also the easiest method for creating the brightest rice colors!
Additional Sensory Play Ideas
One more beloved rainbow sensory activity is creating our own homemade playdough.
Give this simple-to-prepare cloud dough recipe a try!
