Dying pasta for crafting is one of the most simple and effective crafts you can do. Bright beautiful rainbow pasta, perfect for play time, is actually super simple to do and takes just a few ingredients and supplies.

Great for sensory play, colorful pasta is a site to beyond and kids from all ages (even teens!) will be inspired to make and create. Plus, with so many plentiful pasta shapes and sizes, the PASTA-BILITIES are endless!

dyed pasta noodles for sensory play in a white bowl

Table of Contents show

What type of pasta works best for sensory play?

Dying pasta is so much fun and having a variety of pasta shells that represent many shapes can make the full play time that much more fun! Also consider the reasons of play time. For example, if you are making necklaces, you may want to use shells with holes already in the middle like macaroni and rigatoni. If you are gluing the noodles, try something pretty like shells or bow ties.

Farfalle
Medium shells
Penne Rigate
Rotini

Colorful Pasta Grocery List

1lb box of 4 different kinds of pasta
70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol
food coloring
baggies

How to Dye Pasta for Play & Crafts

Dying pasta for play and crafts is fairly simple but its not the same as dying pasta noodles to eat. Please do not mix up the two! This tutorial is learning how to dye for play time, sensory play, gluing pasta, using in crafts and otherwise simple fun!

Divide a little bit of each pasta type equally into 5 separate resealable bags.
Add 1 tablespoon rubbing alcohol and 10-15 drops of food color to a bag.

adding food coloring to pasta noodle bag

Seal the bag and knead gently to evenly distribute color on all of the undyed pasta.
Let bag sit for about 5 minutes for color saturation.
Repeat the dying process in each bag with remaining colors.

different types of pasta in baggies with dyed color in them

Dry pasta on a baking sheet (adding a bit of wax or parchment paper makes for easier clean up) for at least 2 hours, or overnight if possible.

To use your colorful pasta, simply mix together all the bags and play!

Play time Pasta Questions

Can you boil dyed noodles?

I am not sure why you’d want to boil these play noodles, because there is rubbing alcohol on them, so they would not be edible. However if you are boiling them for additional sensory purposes, its important to note that most of your color will come off in the hot water.

What is the best dye to dye noodles for sensory play?

I use standard McCormick Red, Yellow, Green, Blue and then the Neon Purple for the purple. I swear by the McCormick Neon Purple food coloring for the purple. Additionally Wilton’s COLORRIGHT is fantastic for bright slime and likely would be just as good for colored pasta.

What types of crafts use colored pasta?

Colored pasta is fun to glue on paperwork, add onto yarn or twine for necklaces, create little people, add to a bin and place in little toys like dinosaurs – really your imagination is your only limit! I find colored pasta just beautiful and fun to make in and of itself.

How to Store Dyed Pasta for Play

Store dried pasta in places that have no moisture like gallon sized baggies that are carefully sealed, mason jars and Tupperware containers.

boiled dyed pasta noodles — If dyed noodles are boiled, this is the end result – most of the color is removed.

Sensory Play Ideas

Nothing we love more than creativity, so if you are looking for awesome amazing fun, try one of these ideas.

Sidewalk Chalk Paint – You wont believe how easy it is to whip up sidewalk chalk paint that rinses off with the hose when you are done.
DIY Spin Art – Kids of all ages will love adding acrylic paints to canvas and tossing it across the yard for a super fun art experience.
How to make Salt Dough – once you learn how to make salt dough its fairly easy to create holiday ornaments

Dying Pasta for Crafts

How to dye pasta noodles in bright beautiful colors for crafts, DIY, sensory bins and more! Easy dyed pasta noodles can be made in all shapes, sizes and any color!

Course: Crafts

Keyword: colorful pasta, diy, dying pasta, dying pasta for crafts, easy pasta, pasta noodles

Equipment

70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol
food coloring

Materials

1 lb box of 4 different kinds of pasta
SUGGESTED: farfalle medium shells, penne rigate, rotini, macaroni

Instructions

Divide pasta equally into 5 separate resealable bags.
Add 1 tablespoon rubbing alcohol and 10-15 drops of color to a bag.
Seal and knead gently to evenly distribute color Let set for 2 minutes.
Repeat with remaining colors.
Dry pasta on a baking sheet for 2 hours, or overnight.
To use, mix together and play!