Rainbow Texture Explorations for Toddlers

Rainbow projects are the focus of this week’s Virtual Book Club for Kids. We’re sharing ideas inspired by A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman. Rainbow texture explorations for toddlers are a fabulous sensory science activity that works on making observations and learning colors. Be sure to check out all of the rainbow themed activities at the end. I get commissions for purchases made through the affiliate links in this post.

Rainbow Texture Explorations for Toddlers

I set up a colorful exploration for toddler Elon to experience different textures. Watch the video below.

Here is what I used (some of the items were sent to us by CraftProjectIdeas.com) :

Top row:

• red DUPLO brick
• orange flower stickers (they have glitter on them and feel rough)
• yellow oobleck (cornstarch and water with washable liquid watercolors like our Color Mixing Oobleck Sensory Bag. For this small baggie, I used about 3 tablespoons of cornstarch.)
• green sand with green and blue good luck mini dragons sent to us by Safari Ltd.
• blue water
• water with purple beads

bottom row:

• red sparkly pom poms
• orange soft pom poms
• yellow block
• green horsetail
• blue feather
• purple pipe cleaners (2 pipe cleaners twisted and tape into a circle)

I placed 6 of the items on the table for Elon to explore. He immediately reached for the blue baggie. I told him to touch it and squish it. He repeated “squish it.” Squish it became his favorite thing to say about the bags.

Next he reached for the yellow baggie and squished it. This one was his favorite. He carried the bag around with him for a while after he was done with the others. I taped all of the bags closed to help prevent leaks. You could also tape them down to the table.

I introduced Elon to each of the other items. I asked him how they felt and told him what color they were. He repeated me. The orange flower stickers have a layer of glitter on them. They feel a bit like sandpaper.

We moved onto the next set of 6 items in our rainbow texture explorations for toddlers. Elon touched them one by one. You can glue or tape these items down. Always watch toddlers with small items like pom poms.

The rainbow texture explorations for toddlers are great for allowing them to make observations using their sense of touch and sense of sight. Practice colors and learn about different textures.

Storybook Science

The first week of our Storybook Science series features Sensory Science. Follow along with the rest of our Storybook Science here. Bloggers will be sharing a new science idea inspired by a children’s book throughout the month of March.

More Rainbow Activities for Toddlers

• Find the Unicorn Rainbow Sensory Bin
• 15 Rainbow Scavenger Hunts
• Learn Colors with Ramps and Car Rainbows
• Rainbow Dot Art

More Activities from the Virtual Book Club for Kids

See more rainbow themed activities inspired by A Rainbow of My Own:

Drip Painting Rainbow Name Activity – The Educators’ Spin On It
Roll A Rainbow Numbers Game – School Time Snippets
Rainbow Lacing Number Bonds – Rainy Day Mum
An Easy Rainbow Colored Fluid Dynamics Experiment for kids – Mama Smiles
Rainbow Play Dough Color Mixing – Teach Beside Me
Rainbow Streamer Craft – Views From a Step Stool
Rainbow Ribbon Wand Movement Activity – To Be A Kid Again
Toddler Rainbow Art – Preschool Powol Packets
Rainbow Fruit Salad – Sugar, Spice and Glitter

Also stop by the Virtual Book Club for Kids Facebook group to see what others are sharing!

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