Autumn Rice Tray for Fine Motor Skills

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 at the weekend.

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 ziploc bag, add a little food colouring and shake until all the rice is coloured. We chose 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.

Questions to think and talk about

Why do pine cones open and close?

See here for the answer.

Why are conkers inside a spiky case?

What does an acorn contain the seed for?

Why do leaves change colour in autumn?

Suitable for Early Years Foundation Science

Understanding of the World

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!