Autumn
Halloween
SensoryToddlers43 Comments
A spaghetti slime sensory activity is perfect for Halloween because it’s oh-so-slimy! Toddlers explore the texture and have some silly fun.
Sensory activities are always fun for toddlers to do. They get to explore, and there’s never a right or wrong way to do it.
We turned The Imagination Tree’s bug slime spaghetti (eww!) into a sensory activity especially for Halloween with just a few colors!
How to Make Halloween Spaghetti Slime
I simply cooked up a package of spaghetti noodles, drained them and rinsed it with cold water to cool it down quickly.
Divide the spaghetti and add food coloring of your choice. (I chose orange, purple and black for Halloween.)
If you’d like, let the kids mix up the colors of the spaghetti slime themselves. I chose to do it myself since I was just playing with George.
Add a little vegetable oil, too, to keep the noodles slimy for great sensory play!
(I added oil both before and after I colored it, but I think the color would take even better if didn’t add the oil beforehand, though it was still pretty vibrant!)
Spaghetti Slime Sensory Activity
I set them outside in containers for George to explore. And he did…
Surprisingly, he was actually very hesitant to touch the spaghetti slime with his hands.
Along with the colored spaghetti, I set out measuring spoons and cups, a soup ladle, a funnel and a large bucket.
Once George got the courage to touch the spaghetti slime, he mostly liked to see if he could pull it apart.
Over and over.
There were lots of little tiny pieces!
I tried my best to sit back and watch, and let him explore entirely on his own.
But this colored spaghetti slime was so enticing, I had to join in!
I thought the funnel would add a nice effect. I thought it would be easy to pull the spaghetti through the hole.
Maybe I put too much in, because it was hard for even me to pull out of it!
George attempted it, too. Breaking the pieces into even smaller pieces than he was doing before!
Finally, the bucket was discovered. The colored spaghetti slime became a potion in the cauldron for Halloween.
This slimy spaghetti is just one of the 25 sensory activities for kids!
Potions were mixed and mixed, in and out of the cauldron!
All parts explored the spaghetti’s slimy texture. Fingers…. mouths… hair… ears…
A sensory sliminess and ooey gooey good time.
And boy was it messy. (So glad we took this one outside!)
Our hands did stain a little from the food coloring, but it came off in the bath that night. If you do it inside, maybe throw down a vinyl tablecloth on the floor before starting.
A slimy spaghetti mess is worth the sensory fun, right?
I would have to say the mess was worth the spaghetti slime sensory fun for sure!
This spaghetti sensory activity is also one of the 50 Activities Just for your Toddler!
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Lisa Pulliam says
I will do activities with my grandchild this week.
Shara Parker says
I am not sure if this is a good idea or not because I tried it with the toddlers that I nanny for and the mom was livid a month later after finding the plastic pool I used to put the spaghetti in (even though I washed it out.) She must have been over exaggerating because she said they brought the pool in on a rainy day and filled it up with plastic balls and she sent me a furosious text saying that I left them with a mess and that everything became sticky including their dogs and that it wouldn’t come off and that I ruined their lives. Pretty much, I am a horrible nanny because I was trying to do something nice for their kids. So I wish if you knew how “messy” this project was, to please describe the consequences and details of what is left from the mess. It may not be a bad idea, it may be this mom who is a little over dramatic. Moms need to chill out.
Tina Botha says
Hi, I discovered another fairly inexpensive sensory exercise by accident. After a bathroom ‘leak’ (flood) some toilet paper in storage got wet – so decided to use it for papier maché. My kids (2 and 4 yrs) helped ‘shred’ it. The bucket was way too small and I eventually landed up putting the shredded paper (which swells when shredded) into a large sand-pit shell. It wasn’t long when the feet joined the hands and then the clothes came off and they literally swam in the mix. I added nappy disinfectant to the water for ‘just-in-case’. Such fun and I can still use the mix for molding maché projects :)
Kim Anderson says
One thing I love about all these posts is that you have boys and you have tested them out on them. Many are messy and just perfect for a boys attention span. I can’t wait to try this out this week.
Amie says
We love doing this activity around here, too! I prefer it when it is still a little warm, um, but it’s not about me, hehehe!
Jamie Reimer says
haha! Adding the warmth would be a fun sensory addition!
Stephanie says
I am 17 I baby sit for my three little siblings this was so fun and helpful they had a blast! thank you so much must try!
tiffani says
So I own a inhome daycare I havent really done crafts.do to prob aly finding the time.so I decided to look up crafts since the kids are now toddler snd preschool age an thought it was important. So I did this one with one 3 year he was a a little scared at first he thought they were worms then said it was fun cutting up dead worms .the next day another 3 year old came and he showed him tand told about the worms well the other 3 year old freaked out and. Screamed. An the parents got mad even though I told him they were fake they were noodles I even ate some in front of him an said look yummy noodles oh well I had fun an so did 10 other kids I did it with and the other parents though t it was cute and funny
janet says
I am thrilled to come across this website. I look forward to new adventures. Since I work with toddlers I know I will be here to make use of the activities. Thank you so much for sharing.
Kerry from @ScienceSparks says
The mess is totally worth the fun! I am going to do that with my twins this week! Thanks for linking up!
Emma @sciencesparks says
That looks brilliant!!! Definitely one we will try. xx
Michelle Breum says
Love the colors!
MaryAnne says
So fun and SO messy =)
rachelle | tinkerlab says
My 3 year old saw these pictures and exclaimed that she wanted to make this today. I guess we'll be covering the floor with vinyl :)
Whole Child Creative Curriculum says
I LOVE this idea! It's such a great exploratory experience for so many ages! I'm going to share it on FB, if that's okay! If it's not okay, let me know and I'll take it down. ;)
Carla @ Whole Child Creative Curriculum
Anonymous says
Sooooooooooo fun!! I am going to try this too. I found you at Living Life Intentionally Linky Party.
Joyce @Dinosaurs And Octopuses says
That is really beautiful! And it really does look enticing and sort of creepy. Yet still beautiful! I adore this! And I'm pinning.
It is worth the mess, isn't it? :) And that's so great that you played too. I probably couldn't have resisted playing with it either. So awesome.
Liz Darner says
What great fun! I'm certain that both my 3yo and my 6yo would love this. And our chickens would gobble up the mess afterward!
Anonymous says
they make purple and black food coloring?? where can i get some…i have two preschool boys that would love this
Rebekah @ The Golden Gleam says
I'm sure my daughter will love this. We will play with this in her outdoor kitchen this week. I love that my daughter loves getting her hands dirty so this will be right up her alley.
crittersandcrayons says
That looks like awesome fun!!!!! Beautiful pics!
Holly Ann says
Oh, I love it!! I don't think I'm brave enough to do it with my pre-k class, but I'd definitely do it at home with my twin 3-year-olds and my 2-year-old.
rainydaymum says
Ohhh that looks like so much fun. I think I could even do it with T (7months) as it's all edible and won't matter if she eats anything.
The Mommies Made Me Do It says
OMG, we MUST do this!
Sarah C. says
How fun! I bet my 2 year old would love that. :)
Melissa @ The Chocolate Muffin Tree says
Awesome post! Now you have to paint with spaghetti like we did!
Sonya says
Ooo, fun!
MamaCass55 says
I HAVE to do this with my daughter! Or even my older kids too! Thanks for sharing with us!!!
Anna @ The Imagination Tree says
Fantastic colours! I'm so glad to have inspired you ;-) I love the feeling of the oily spaghetti- wonderful!