Rice Play

A bin of rice plus a few basic tools is easily one of my absolute favorite play materials for kids.

Particularly for preschool aged kiddos, but in my experience this is one of those activities that is appealing to just about every age.

Developmentally, playing with rice falls under the same category as sand and water play, which NAEYC considers essential to higher-level learning.   The process of scooping, pouring, dumping,
and transferring materials like rice is one of the most effective ways to learn the basic principles of
science and math.  This sort of play also can support literacy and social skills. Like block play, it’s
basically a multivitamin of child development. To me, one of the most powerful benefits of rice play
lies in emotional regulation.  I have watched as upset, agitated children found peace and solace in
the simple process of scooping and pouring rice. And of course, kids absolutely love it.  The appeal is almost absurdly powerful. I have seen
classrooms full of exciting, colorful toys and materials where the kids fought over a spot at the
rice bin non-stop.  I have set up a simple rice bin at community events and watched as kids sat
and scooped rice in preference to rides, balloons and bounce houses every where they looked.

Set up - Use pretty much anything you have around the house!

Set up is straightforward.  You need rice, a fairly big box, bin or bowl, and some tools like cups, bowls or spoons.  The kids will take it from there. There are a million ways to extend this activity and add interest.  Changing up the color of the rice will inspire different types of play (though white rice is fine). Change up the tools.  Your kitchen is the best place to start. Big spoons, slotted spoons, funnels, bowls of different sizes, etc. Add in some plastic animals, dolls or trucks to inspire pretend play.   A piece of cardboard that can be used as a ramp can add a whole new element of fun. Get creative, change it up, and sit back and watch your kids learn!

A note on mess:

A lot of parents and teachers have expressed reservations about rice play due to the mess.   I totally get it. Watching as a child (inevitably) dumps a cup of rice onto the floor can be cringe-inducing.  There are ways to limit the damage. Playing outside definitely is the easiest answer. If that’s not possible, a large sheet under the play area is very effective at limiting the amount of mess.   Another very effective trick is offering a variety of different targets for kids’ dumping and emptying needs. Regardless of what you do, there generally will be some mess to sweep up at the end. I have always, always found the benefits of this activity to be more than worth the hassle.

A 13 month old working on the very important skill of filling things up