With Easter on the horizon, I’ve stumbled across a super cool activity that’s not only easy to set up but is also a hit with the kiddos – and I just had to share it with you all!

Cardboard and rice sensory puzzles are lots of fun, and a versatile idea that can be adapted for all kinds of themes, seasons and holidays.

This time, it’s a colorful Easter egg which is just perfect for Spring time.

easter egg sensory puzzle with cardboard and rice

For this activity, you’ll create a big cardboard egg with little compartments, and bowls of brightly colored rice.

Give the little ones a spoon and watch as they scoop and sprinkle the rice into the different sections of the egg, creating a kaleidoscope of colors in a pattern only their imagination can dictate.

It’s a sensory Easter egg activity that’s as fun as it is simple.

What’s great about this activity is that it’s perfect for a wide range of ages. Toddlers will love the feel and flow of the rice, while preschoolers and older kids can get more intricate with their color combinations and designs.

It’s a fantastic way to encourage creativity and fine motor skills. Plus, it’s a sensory experience that can have a calming effect – you know, for those days when the energy levels are a bit too high. You can even scent the rice with lavender or other calming scents, if you want to enhance this.

The preparation time for the cardboard rice sensory puzzle can vary, but it does take some advance preparation – the active prep work might take around 50 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes.

If you include drying time for the rice, which is mostly passive, the total prep time from start to finish could be anywhere from 2 hours to overnight. This allows for a relaxed pace, perfect for a crafty afternoon or evening preparation for the next day’s play.

Once you’ve done the initial preparation work to create the sensory puzzle, setting this up at home for play time is a breeze. You just need some cardboard, rice, food coloring to dye the rice, and a few spoons.

The table shown in the pictures is the Ikea flisat table which is amazing for sensory activities as you can store your supplies inside – placing the bowls of rice inside the tray of the table as shown, avoids mess because the tray collects any of the over spill meaning less on the floor.

sensory cardboard and rice puzzle for kids, easter egg theme

This sensory activity is also ideal for preschool classrooms because it’s reusable.

Just empty out the sections and start all over again, maybe even turning it into a color-matching lesson (place color dot stickers inside each section to turn this sensory rice puzzle into a color matching activity)

How to Make a Cardboard and Rice Sensory Puzzle for Easter

Materials

Corrugated cardboard
Rice
Food coloring
Vinegar or rubbing alcohol (for setting the rice color)

Tools

Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Scissors or a craft knife
Plastic bags (for mixing rice and color)
Bowls or containers (for the colored rice)
Spoons (for scooping the rice)

Instructions

How to Make the Cardboard Rice Sensory Puzzle

Step 1: Prepare Your Cardboard Base

Cut out a large egg shape from your corrugated cardboard. This will be the base of your sensory puzzle.

Step 2: Create the 3D Compartments

Cut strips of corrugated cardboard that are about 1 to 2 inches wide. These will form the edges of your puzzle sections. Take a strip and gently bend it around to form smaller shapes within your egg – think petals of a flower or geometric shapes. It's up to you!

Step 3: Glue the Compartments

Once you have your shapes, use a hot glue gun to adhere the strips onto your cardboard base. Make sure the edges are securely glued to prevent rice from slipping out.

Step 4: Dye the Rice

In a plastic bag, mix a cup of rice with a few drops of food coloring and a teaspoon of vinegar or rubbing alcohol. Shake the bag until the rice is evenly colored. Spread the rice out on a baking sheet to dry. Repeat this with as many colors as you like.

Step 5: Setting Up the Activity

Once the rice is dry, place it into bowls or containers. Set these around the cardboard egg, each with its own spoon.

How to Use the Cardboard Rice Sensory Puzzle

Step 1: Introduce the Puzzle

Show your child the cardboard egg and the bowls of colored rice. Explain that they can fill each section with whatever color they like.

Step 2: Demonstrate

Scoop some rice with a spoon and gently pour it into one of the cardboard compartments. Let your child feel the rice and try scooping it themselves.

Step 3: Encourage Creativity

Invite your child to start filling the sections. There's no right or wrong way to do this. They can mix colors, create patterns, or fill each compartment with a single color.

Step 4: Play and Learn

As they play, you can incorporate learning elements like naming colors, counting the spoonfuls of rice, or talking about the texture of the rice and the cardboard.

Step 5: Clean Up and Store

After playtime is over, you can either display their creation or pour the rice back into the bowls. The puzzle is reusable, so there's always an opportunity to play again.

If you want to spice things up, you can cut different shapes out of cardboard for a variety of themes and seasons – not just Easter!

Think about making a tree for spring or simple geometric shapes for everyday fun.

There you have it! Not only have you made a fun sensory tool, but you’ve also created a platform for endless creative play.

You can also try filling the sensory puzzle with other materials, how about dying oats, dying pasta, or using colored salt, colored sand and so on… there are many ways to mix it up.

Enjoy watching your little ones get hands-on with their very own cardboard rice sensory puzzle.

making a cardboard and rice sensory puzzle for easter

The benefits of this activity are plenty! This hands-on play promotes creative thinking and problem-solving.

It’s a tactile delight that engages their senses, especially touch and sight.

And as they scoop and pour, their little hands and fingers are getting a workout, which is fantastic for those fine motor skills they’ll need for writing later on.

easter egg sensory puzzle with rice fine motor activity

So, whether you’re looking for some at-home fun learning or you need a fresh idea for your preschool class, this sensory Easter egg activity is definitely one to try out.

It’s mess-friendly, learning-rich, and, let’s be honest, it’s quite therapeutic for us adults too – who doesn’t love the soft rustle of rice and the sight of happy, concentrated faces?

little boy playing with a cardboard and rice sensory activity

Let’s make this Easter colorful in more ways than one. Happy crafting and playing!

More DIY Puzzles for Kids

Toy Shape Match DIY Puzzle

More Easter Activities for Kids

Fine Motor PomPom Painting Easter Egg Craft for Kids

Don’t forget to spread the joy of crafting and play! If you’ve enjoyed creating and using this sensory Easter egg with your little ones, share your masterpiece with fellow parents and craft enthusiasts. Pin this on Pinterest to inspire others.

easter egg diy sensory activity for kids fine motor activity with rice

In The Playroom

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Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.