Edible Dyed Noodles

One of the things I am VERY cautious about is things that are toxic when it comes to my kids. Due to oral sensory issues even at the age of 5yrs old they are putting things in their mouths. Needless to say when I wanted to dye noodles or rice I couldn't until I came across this recipe for dyed noodles that doesn't take rubbing alcohol but vinegar! Good thing because my kids decided to eat some later! They were pretty colorful. (These also can be used in a sensory bin or the rice can.)

Materials:

1tsp or less vinegar (the LESS the better)

food dye

noodles or white rice

Snack ziplock bags

Directions:

Step #1

Pour some noodles into a snack ziplock bag. I used about 1/2 a teaspoon vinegar and about 8-10 drops of food color.

Step #2

Seal it closed and then squish or shake until the noodles or rice are all colored. We double bagged them when the kids squished them. We reused the baggies and did it again with some other colors and noodles. (The best balanced coloring are on noodles such as macaroni or elbow noodles that can rub against the edges of the bag or rice, otherwise it's more or less the edges that get colored on other noodles.)

Step #3

You take it and place it on wax paper, parchment paper, a cookie sheet or whatever to allow to dry. Spread them apart while they're wet or they'll stick to one another. Here's some of our pictures.

Sidewalk Paint

On those days where your kids want to paint and yoyu don't want a mess to clean up. Make this simple paint that can be washed away by water. If your child is a sensory avoider rather than use a brush they can use a spray bottle (the spray bottle can also be used to paint the snow).
This paint washes off easily. It is biodegradable. It won't harm your plants because it's eco-friendly. This can also be stored if you have any left. If they should dry up just add water. How easy is that?

Recipe
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
Food color

Directions
Mix the water and cornstarch until smooth. Add the food color and send the kids outside to the driveway or sidewalk with brushes. If you are using spray bottles fill them up and send them outside.

Bubble Solution

One thing I have learned is NOT to let my kiddos have a full jar of bubbles. It seems to get spilled or poured out almost completely by one child or another. I know I can get some cheap but sometimes you run out and your kid is having a meltdown. One thing you can do is follow one of the many recipes from this link on how to make your own bubbles.
If you have lost your wand there are plenty of other options you can try. Here are some ideas for using various house objects for wands.

• Empty canning ring or a ring for a baby's bottle.
• Cookie cutters
• Pipe cleaners
• Plastic berry containers (usually they're green)
• Hula hoop
• Fly Swatters
• A piece of yarn tied in a loop and put in a straw and tied
• Lids from yogurt or margerine containers cut out
• Wire coat hanger

Aqua Sand

Well, a few years Moon Sand was all the rage and I admit we jumped on board before we had a recipe. However, this year they came out with Aqua Sand which I haven't even tried but I hear it's just as good as Moon Sand but a different texture. Out of curiousity I went and sought out a recipe to make Aqua Sand and suprisingly found one. Like all the recipes I have put them on the how to page for ease of access.

Aqua Sand

Materials:
clean colored sand
scotch guard (aerosol can)
baking pan/newspaper

Step #1
Spread out the sand nice and even across the pan and let it bake for at least one hour at a temperature of two hundred and fifty degrees. All you are trying to do here is get the sand completely dry before moving on. You can alter the time and temperature in the oven depending upon how much sand you are working with.

Step #2
Once the sand is totally dry take it out of the oven so that it can cool down. Once it is cool to the touch you want to spray it with the Scotch guard. Now mix the sand up and spread it out across the baking pan. If you do not want to spray the Scotch guard on your nice baking pan you can always put the sand on the newspaper and spray it there.

Step #3
Spray it again with the Scotch guard. Go ahead and do with mix and spray one final time. Give the sprayed sand a few hours to dry out completely. Once the baked and dried sand has been sprayed, let it sit overnight to get good and dry. This sand is now hydrophobic and will behave exactly like Aqua Sand, and it is ready for you to make amazing underwater arts and crafts creations.

Aggression Cookies

These cookies you mix up with your hands. For a child who needs to squish and squeeze things this might be a yummy theraputic treat. The more you squish them the yummier they seriously taste. This recipe can also be broken down to make less as this recipe makes 15 dozen!

Ingredients:
3 cups brown sugar
3 cups margarine or butter (or 1 1/2 cups each)
6 cups oatmeal
1 tbsp baking soda
3 cups flour

Directions:
Put all this in a huge bowl and mash, knead, squeeze (see below). Then form it into small balls, midway between filbert size and English walnut size, on an ungreased cookie sheet. Butter the bottom of a small glass, dip it in granulated sugar and mash the balls flat. Keep doing it. (You need butter the glass bottom only once or twice, but re-dip it in sugar for each ball.) Then bake at 350º for 10 - 12 minutes

Moon Sand Recipe

Okay, I went and found the website and found several others with the same recipe for homemade Moon Sand. (I have put this recipe under the how to pages under recipes for easier access rather than suffling through a bunch of posts.)

Ingredients:
6 C. play sand (the very fine type)
3 C. cornstarch
1 1/2 C. cold water

Step #1
Mix cornstarch and water thoroughly until it is completely smooth and mixed in. It'll take a few minutes.
Step #2
Gradually mix in the sand 1 cup at a time. You'll really need to work it in with your fingers.
Step#3
Play with it!!!
Step #4
When you're done put it in an air tight container.
Step #5
To revive it to play with it again just sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of water on it and work it in.

You can use food color to dye the sand OR you can buy colored sand. I'm not sure what the cost difference is if there is any as I have not looked. I know Home Depot does carry the play sand though if you have one near you but if you don't you should be able to find it or get it through a home improvement store like that.