Super sensory scissor skills play with spaghetti

Here’s a super sensory invitation to play that’s taste-safe and helps develop fine motor and scissor skills.

 

 

Super sensory scissor skills play with spaghetti

This super sensory invitation to play is perfect for a sensory tub or a finger gym.

It uses spaghetti, which is taste-safe for younger children, with alternative suggestions if you don’t want to use food for play.

It promotes fine motor skills and is great in combination with scissors to practice scissor skills. 

 

Materials needed

:: spaghetti – or use yarn, string, ribbon, shredded paper, grass or straw

:: food colouring gel

:: scissors

:: tongs

:: loose parts such as pots, bowls, spoons

 

 

Start by cooking the spaghetti. Keep it slightly under-cooked so it’s more robust for play.

 

 

Drain the water. You can add a drop of oil if you want to stop the spaghetti sticking or leave it plain for a stickier texture – completely up to you.

 

 

Place the cooked spaghetti in a plastic container so you can add colour. You can split the spaghetti between several pots so you can make different colours of spaghetti.

 

 

Add a tiny bit of food colouring gel. I like the Wilton brand.

 

 

Pop the lid on the container and give it a good shake. The colour will spread through the spaghetti.

I find that the colour absorbs into the spaghetti well and doesn’t stain our hands as we play, but do check this for the type of food colouring you are using.

 

 

Now your spaghetti is ready for play. Place it in a sensory tub and add tongs, so your children can enjoy moving the spaghetti around – all the while building their find motor skills.

 

 

You can combine a few colours together, and it’s fun to match the shades to the themes of the year: red for Valentine’s Day, blue for an ocean topic. 

 

 

Spaghetti pairs really well with snipping!

Add child-friendly scissors and your children can work on their fine motor skills and scissor skills as they play.

Small scissors with rounded ends to their blades are a good choice, and provide left-handed scissors for those that need them.

You can add in other loose parts such as pots, bowls, and spoons and let the children take it from there!

 

More scissor skills activities

Children can have lots of fun as they build their scissor skills. Try these ideas:

:: Learning cutting skills with jelly sensory play

:: Snip drinking straws to create contact paper pictures

:: Make a texture collage

:: Explore circles and make mandalas