Rice Play!
Date: August 8, 2022
Time: Sensory Play
Facilitators: Jasmine, Simran J and Raveena
Props used
White rice, tempera paints (Orange and Green) and Trays.
What was the activity?
This activity was highly sensory in nature. It involved playing with the rice that was spread out in the big trays and then mixing the paint colors in them to add another sensorial layer to the activity.
Why did we plan this activity?
Sensory Experience: The kids mixed the paint colors with the rice particles using their fingers and palms. They indulged in experiencing different textures, before and after mixing the paints with the rice. It all supplemented sensorially to their rice play.
Fine motor skills: The toddlers used to pick up the granules and then sprinkled them either on the floor or inside the tray, which all strengthened their fine motor skills.
Language and speech development: Our arthlings recognised and learnt about names of two different colors (Orange and Green) and directions in which their hands moved while playing. Also, there was verbalisation about different action verbs like “sprinkle the rice into the tray”, “Mix the rice with the paints”, etc.
Learning about Indian Flag: The toddlers were introduced to the Indian flag and its colors during work and small group time. Sensory play was a continuation of that where orange and green colors were only used to mark the upcoming Independence day next week.
The Series of Steps engaged in?
Rice granules were spread out in two trays before the class began. During the sensory time, the kids were first asked to experience the texture of the rice and then subsequently, tempera paints were added, orange in one tray and green in another. Post the play, the kids were urged to clean-up by pouring the rice particles back into the tray that they sprinkled on the floor and then making them wash their hands.
How did it go? (Finally!)
The rice trays were attractive enough to make most of the kids run towards the play area for sensory time. Exploring the rice granules seemed like a mindful task and kids indulged in the actions of picking up particles, throwing it over others or on the floor, moving their palms over the granules and sprinkling them over the tray. The kids always seem eager in squeezing the tempera paint bottle to squeeze out the paints. Some kids indulged in squeezing the bottle with the facilitator and while some asked to squeeze the bottle independently. Prisha seemed fascinated when the facilitator sprinkled the rice from a height and called it “Rice rain”. Subsequently, She started mirroring the action. Jasvi helped her sister in removing rice particles from her hair. Yuvaan and Samika seemed interested in playing with the rice spread out over the floor. They still weren’t able to make much connection of the colors with the Indian flag, however it seemed like a nice start.
