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Home » Early Years Science » Autumn Rice Tray for Fine Motor Skills

Autumn Rice Tray for Fine Motor Skills

Modified: Oct 8, 2024 · Published: Sep 21, 2018 by Emma Vanstone · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

I couldn’t resist making an autumn-themed fine motor skill rice tray after we collected a bag of lovely autumn treasures on a walk over the weekend.

coloured rice, pumpkin seeds and pine cones in a rice tray

What you need for a fall rice tray

Rice

Food Colouring

Ziploc bags

Autumn items – conkers, acorns, pinecones etc

Tweezers

Muffin Tray – optional

How to dye rice

Place plain, cheap rice inside a sealable plastic bag, add a little food colouring, and shake until all the rice is coloured. We chose the fall colours of red, yellow, and orange.

Pour into a baking tray and leave to dry.

Mix the rice and add your autumn treasures.

Learning ideas

Use the tray for fine motor skill practice.

Ask children to sort the items into groups of 2, 3, 5 or 10.

Ask children to sort the items by size or colour.

Write numbers on the pumpkin seeds and use to practice number bonds to 10 or 20

If you don’t want to dye rice, fill the tray with leaves instead.

autumn sorting tray with leaves, conkers, pine cones and tweezers

Questions to think and talk about

Why do pine cones open and close?

See here for the answer.

Image of pinecones on a shelf ready to be used as a pinecone weather station

Why are conkers inside a spiky case?

What does an acorn contain the seed for?

Why do leaves change colour in autumn?

More Sensory Rice Tray Ideas

This Cat in the Hat rice tray is perfect for little Dr Seuss fans.

Use this easy flower sensory rice tray to learn all about the different parts of a flower.

For even more fine motor control activity ideas try this fun selection of Roald Dahl themed fine motor control ideas.

This rainbow rice tray is gorgeous from Messy Little Monster too!

Fall Rice Tray - great seasonal fine motor skill activity. Rice coloured with red, yellow and orange with pinecones, pumpkin seeds and tweezers

Last Updated on October 8, 2024 by Emma Vanstone

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Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

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