# Pasta & Playdough Rainbow
> Kids color-match rainbow pipe cleaners to balls of playdough, thread colored pasta onto them, then bend each one into an arch to build a rainbow. It packs in fine motor practice, color matching and a little engineering.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/fine-motor-activities-rainbow-pasta-playdough/
- Ages: 3–6 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: low
- Time: prep 10 min, activity 20 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class · one batch serves about 1 kids
- Skills: fine-motor, color-matching, colors, engineering, problem-solving
- Cautions: wheat-gluten, food-dye, ingestion-risk

## Materials (one batch)
- 6 piece Rainbow playdough (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)
- 6 piece Pipe cleaners (chenille stems) in rainbow colors
- 36 piece Colored penne pasta
- Food color (for dyeing the pasta)
- 1 piece Large clear tray or clear storage container (household)
- 1 piece Paper plate (optional) (household)

## Substitutions
- Instead of colored pasta: Heavier or spiral pasta (e.g. rotini) (Needs more balancing to keep the arch from toppling. That can be a good challenge for an older child.)

## Safety
- Dry pasta pieces and small playdough balls are choking hazards. Supervise closely, especially with kids who still put things in their mouths.
- Pipe cleaner ends can be pokey. Show kids how to handle them gently and keep them away from faces.
- Pasta and commercial playdough are typically wheat-based. Check labels if any child has a wheat or gluten allergy.
- Dyed pasta and playdough can transfer color. Wash hands after play.

## Before you start
- Dye the pasta in rainbow colors using TurkeyMom's pasta-coloring tutorial (linked in the story).
- Set out the rainbow playdough, rainbow pipe cleaners and colored pasta on a large clear tray or in a clear storage container.

## Steps
1. Set out the rainbow playdough, pipe cleaners and colored pasta.
2. Divide each playdough canister into two balls.
3. Arrange the balls in two rows in rainbow order.
4. Match each pipe cleaner to its playdough color and gently press one end into the first row's ball.
5. Thread 5-6 matching pasta pieces onto each pipe cleaner to make pasta towers.
6. Bend each pipe cleaner over and poke the other end into the matching ball in the second row to make an arch.
7. Press the first and last pasta pieces into the playdough for extra stability.
8. Repeat with every color until the whole rainbow stands.

## Tips
- For younger children, build the pasta towers first. It works better and lessens a lot of frustration.
- Penne is lighter than rotini, so you don't have to do a lot of balancing. Older kids may enjoy the challenge of finding the perfect spot for the playdough balls so the structure doesn't topple.
- We found that 5-6 pasta pieces are good enough to make a stable rainbow.
- Color matching the pipe cleaners to the playdough is a good chance to talk more about the rainbow colors.
- My daughter chose a different route and ended up lacing. I love it when kids make their own discoveries through trial and error.

## FAQ
**How do I color the pasta?** This post doesn't include the method. TurkeyMom links to her separate tutorial on dyeing pasta for art projects.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2015)

A wonderful kids activity with a big dose of fine motor exercise. All while building a happy rainbow with pasta, playdough and pipe cleaners. [**Rainbow activities for kids**](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/rainbow/) are fun and makes everyone happy, right? Not to mention they are the perfect [**St.Patrick's Day activity**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/holidays/st-patricks-day-holidays/) for kids. So when all these happy activities turn into a fabulous [**fine motor activity**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/fine-motor-activities/) and a color matching, wouldn't you be excited? I was! Materials **

- **[Play-Doh Rainbow Starter Pack](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IGNX226/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Chenille Stems](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0054G6M20/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Penne](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DRA8KGQ/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[AmeriColor Food Color](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0029YDR82/?tag=blmemo-20)** *{ our favorite}*

### How to prep this rainbow fine motor activity



Set out rainbow colored play dough { we love the starter pack linked in the materials section}, pipe cleaners in all the rainbow colors and colored pasta. I would set up the materials on a large clear tray or inside a clear storage container. We found that dividing the playdough from one canister into two was perfect for this fine motor activity. For the pasta, I think *penne pasta would have been a better choice* than rotini because penne is lighter and you don't have to do a lot of balancing { which may be great for an older child - to find the perfect spot for the playdough balls so that the structure is stable and doesn't topple} Here is the tutorial for [**coloring pasta.**](https://www.funlittles.com/how-to-dye-pasta-for-art-projects/)  Explain to your child that you are going to arrange the play dough in rainbow order and start poking the pipe cleaners through the play dough while color matching.

 The idea is to have your little one { great for 3+ kids}to first have them color match all the pipe cleaners to the rainbow playdough. Using their fine motor skills they will be gently pressing one end of the pipe cleaner into the playdough of the matching color. This will be a good chance to talk more about the rainbow colors. Then the children will thread the pasta onto he pipe cleaners creating pipe cleaner- pasta towers. As you can see below my daughter chose a different route and ended up lacing. But for younger children creating the pasta towers first will be better and effective and more importantly will lessen a lot of frustration.  Once they create the pipe cleaner- pasta towers the child will bend the pipe cleaner and and poke the other end of the pipe cleaner on to the corresponding playdough on the other side forming an arch. We found that 5-6 rotini pasta is good enough to make a stable rainbow.  My child pressed the first and the last pasta into the playdough for extra stability. { More **engineering and building activities** here}  I love it when the kids make their own discoveries through trial and errors and hands -on [**learning activities.**](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/learn/)  There you have it - a simple fine motor activity with just playdough, pasta and pipe cleaners. 

Thanks for reading