Children's first crafts are usually made from various cereals, rice, buckwheat, millet, even seeds. Usually, rice is considered the most convenient, especially when it is coarse-grained, but to make it interesting for children to make pictures from rice, you can make it multi-colored. I will now teach you how to paint rice for crafts using food coloring, gouache, and watercolors. In principle, there is one method of painting, it’s just that many people use different dyes.
To color rice for, in addition to paints, you need to use vinegar, with its help the paint goes smoothly onto the rice and soaks into the grains. You also need plastic bags; the rice and paint are placed directly there. Next, I will demonstrate everything in the photo instructions, it is much clearer there. And don’t forget that children like elongated coarse-grain rice best.

What you need to dye rice:

— Rice.
— Any colors.
— Vinegar.
— Plastic bags.

Let's prepare everything you need to get started. The rice must be dry and there is no need to rinse it. Take absolutely any vinegar.

Dilute vinegar and paint by eye. The less vinegar, the richer the color. Place the rice into the bag.

Pour the dye into the bag with the rice.

Close the bag and crumple it thoroughly so that the paint gets onto every grain and saturates all the rice.

When all the rice has colored, you can pour it into a pile to dry completely. This is how I made six different colors.

The colors look beautiful when you don’t mix them too much, but pour them onto a plate, separating them from each other.

The child will really like this kind of colored rice and will play with it.

You can also pour it into a jar, in layers. Looks nice too.

And these are the kinds of pictures the children will make using the material we made for them.

Rice can be used to make sushi, puddings and other dishes. Coloring cereals in various shades allows you to create original and aesthetic compositions. Colored rice grains are also used for other purposes: for games and the development of tactile sensitivity in children, as well as improving fine motor skills. Synthetic pigments are a safe, fast and convenient means for obtaining cereals of the desired shades.

Which dye to choose

There are natural dyes that can give rice different shades. These are beet juice, spinach, turmeric, saffron, but the choice of natural colors is limited. Naturally dyed rice has only a slight tint, and it is very difficult to make the color brighter.

Synthetic dyes allow you to get almost any shade - from bright blue to emerald. In the Tortlandia online store you can buy food colorings: dry, liquid gel. They are safe and easy to use.

Coloring rice in cooking

In cooking, it is recommended to pre-cook the rice according to the instructions on the package. Cooking time depends on the type of cereal and the recipe. For example, for sushi and puddings, short grain rice is used, which needs to be cooked for 15-20 minutes.

Dry dye is diluted in a small amount of water (from 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon, depending on the volume of the cereal) and mixed with rice.
Liquid and gel dyes are completely ready for use. Typically, no more than 1 g of paint is required per 1 kg of boiled rice. The additive is mixed with the cereal and distributed evenly over it.

After dyeing, you need to wait at least 10-15 minutes for the pigment to be absorbed into the grains. This will avoid discoloration of other components of the dish.

Coloring rice for children's creativity

If you need to get multi-colored grains for educational games, it is recommended to take long-grain rice. Coloring can be done using various methods:

Mix dry rice with a small amount of dye (no more than ½ teaspoon per 1 kg of cereal). Dry dye must be dissolved in a few drops of water. It is not recommended to take a lot of liquid: this can lead to swelling of the cereal. Liquid and gel formulations do not need to be diluted with water. After thorough mixing, the cereal should be poured onto a sheet of paper or a diaper and allowed to dry for several hours. During this time, the dye will be absorbed and will not stain your hands when playing.
If time is limited, you can use the express method: rice is thoroughly mixed with dye, and then placed in the oven for 40 minutes (temperature - 190°). After cooling, the cereal can be immediately used for developmental activities.

Today, a variety of materials and techniques are offered for children's creativity. Such an unusual type of needlework as painting with colored sand is gaining great popularity. Already today you can find kits on sale for creating crafts using this technique at home. The problem is that such kits, consisting of sand and pictures for coloring, are often unreasonably expensive. If you wish, you can do this kind of handicraft at home using colored cereal. How to paint semolina for children's creativity, using available tools and materials?

Making dye at home

One of the options for coloring cereals is using paint and alcohol. Take a small bowl or jar. Mix in it gouache of the selected color (1 tsp), vodka (2 tsp) and water (2 tsp). Pour semolina into the thoroughly mixed coloring liquid. The cereal should be mixed well and ground so that it is evenly colored. How to paint semolina without lumps? It's very simple - knead it thoroughly with your hands. Once you are sure that the cereal is well colored, sift it through a sieve onto a sheet of paper and leave to dry. Since the alcohol evaporates quickly, the semolina will dry in a matter of minutes, and you can start creating.

How to paint semolina with gouache using a blender?

If you have a food processor or blender on hand, you can color the grains without alcohol. Mix gouache with water; paint can be added arbitrarily, depending on the desired saturation of the shade. Pour the resulting mixture into the bowl of a food processor and add the cereal there. Then mix everything well, the cereal should not get too wet. Pour the finished mixture onto paper and leave to dry in a warm place. This option for painting grains is ideal if you want to get a large amount of colored “sand”. If you dye several batches of cereal at a time in different shades, do not forget to rinse the blender well after each color.

Coloring cereals with colored pencils

If you have scrap crayons or pencil leads on hand, they can also be used to make colored “sand.” How to color semolina at home using such dyes? Grind the lead or crayons until it becomes dust. Then mix the resulting paint with cereal. Stir thoroughly, the semolina should become colored. Since this method of painting does not involve adding water, you can use the cereal immediately without wasting time on drying.

Now you know how to paint semolina with gouache, but what to do if you don’t have paint on hand? Theoretically, you can use any other coloring, for example, food coloring. The most important thing is that the paint you choose provides enough color with minimal water content. Try not to wet the cereal too much, otherwise it will begin to swell and you won’t get the “sand” effect. Painting semolina every time before a creative task is not always convenient. It’s easier to have a supply of ready-made “sand” of various colors. Prepare transparent jars of the same size and store the colored cereal in them after drying.

If you did something wrong, and the semolina has frozen with lumps, try to knead them manually or using a rolling pin. Try experimenting with the amount of coloring you use per serving of cereal. By adding more or less paint, you can change the intensity of the shade. Of course, how to paint semolina, in a bright or muted shade, is up to you to decide. But if you wish, even using a basic palette of colors, you can get a whole collection of “sand” of all possible tones.

Ideas for “sandy” creativity

You now know all the ways to paint semolina for crafts. But what to create from ready-made multi-colored cereals? “Sand” drawing is performed using the following technique: we take a sheet of paper with a printed picture for coloring or manually draw the contours. Next, use PVA glue using a brush to cover all the places that need to be painted. The final stage is the most interesting - the adhesive layer should be sprinkled with multi-colored cereals. Remove excess with a tissue and leave to dry. Set the finished drawing aside for a while, and after complete drying, carefully shake off the excess.

Using the same technique, you can decorate some three-dimensional objects, for example, flower vases or pencil stands. Attention: if you decorate an item used in everyday life with cereal, finish it with 1-2 layers of transparent universal varnish. Try to get creative and create some other crafts from this interesting material, because you know how to paint semolina. Creative activities with colored sand are recommended for children from 1.5-2 years old. Offer this interesting type of needlework to your children, and they will definitely like it.

How to paint rice for crafts, food coloring, gouache, watercolor

How to dye rice for crafts, food colorings,gouache, watercolor.

Children's first crafts are usually made from various cereals, rice, buckwheat, millet, even seeds. Usually, rice is considered the most convenient, especially when it is coarse-grained, but to make it interesting for children to make pictures from rice, you can make it multi-colored. I will now teach you how to paint rice for crafts using food coloring, gouache, and watercolors. In principle, there is one method of painting, it’s just that many people use different dyes.
To color rice for crafts, in addition to paints, you need to use vinegar; with its help, the paint goes smoothly onto the rice and soaks into the grains. You also need plastic bags; the rice and paint are placed directly there. Next, I will demonstrate everything in the photo instructions, it is much clearer there. And don’t forget that children like elongated coarse-grain rice best.