I am writing a short series of posts entitled "Super Easy Sensory Play".  Activities included in the series all contain two or fewer ingredients and are items that are generally found in any house, so no need to run to the store for specialty items.  I hope that you will give them all a try!  You can read the other posts in the series here:

Super Easy Sensory Play:  Ice and Warm Water

Super Easy Sensory Play:  Cloud Dough

Super Easy Sensory Play: Rice

Super Easy Sensory Play: Water
Super Easy Sensory Play:  Soap Foam
Super Easy Sensory Play:  Cornstarch and Water
Super Easy Sensory Play:  Wet Cotton Balls
Super Easy Sensory Play:  Dirt and Worms

Though I purposefully chose this bag of dried pasta because of its varying colors and shapes, you can use any type of dried pasta you have on hand.  If you are using dried spaghetti and have an older toddler, you can even teach them how to break it!  I poured the bag into my glass cake pan and also set out a wooden spoon, some measuring cups in different sizes, and an empty muffin tins as props for interacting with the pasta.  Please note that certain sizes of pasta may pose a choking hazard.

X dove right in and started inspecting.  I love how he's carefully touching the spirals of the orange pasta below.

After inspecting the various types of pasta (and trying to eat a few, hahaha), he then noticed the measuring cups.  Here he's having a blast with the biggest one while watching S play.

S and I have been talking a bit about camouflage lately (I believe it was in a book we read?) and we were tickled to find that the pasta was great at camouflaging some of her plastic "guys".  Snake and praying mantis enjoyed being sneaky in the pasta thanks to their camouflage! 

S loved touching the pasta, and since I'd provided a muffin tin and big wooden spoon, she decided to start baking pretend muffins.

X loved the sound the pasta made when he drummed on the muffin tin!

Here we're all listening to the sounds the pasta makes as it drops.

 S and I also spent some time sorting the pasta by color in the muffin tins, as she is very into sorting things these days.

We had a great time playing with the $2 pasta and have stored it in a Gladware for another day of play soon.

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All activities here are activities I feel are safe for my own children.  As your child's parents/guardians, you will need to decide what you feel is safe for your family.  I always encourage contacting your child's pediatrician for guidance if you are not sure about the safety/age appropriateness of an activity. All activities on this blog are intended to be performed with adult supervision.  Appropriate and reasonable caution should be used when activities call for the use of materials that could potentially be harmful, such as scissors, or items that could present a choking risk (small items), or a drowning risk (water activities), and with introducing a new food/ingredient to a child (allergies).  Observe caution and safety at all times.  The author and blog disclaim liability for any damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from engaging in any of these activities on this blog.