Starry Night Inspired Sensory Bin

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I am no art major. I took a few art appreciation classes in college and enjoy going to art museums (when my husband agrees to accompany me!) When I do appreciate art, I try to be specific about the elements of the art that I am drawn to in a particular piece (the elements of art are shape, form, value, line, color, space and texture). Of all the elements, I find texture the most intriguing. Whether it be true texture or implied texture, I always want to run my hand across the canvas and feel it! I want to be able to interpret the art with my sense of touch it, but that is a BIG no in the art world! I think that’s why I enjoy this sensory bin so much- It is so textural and hands on! And I think my boys made some truly awesome Starry Night (inspired) art from it!

Supplies:

• White rice
• Pastina (star shaped) pasta
• Penne pasta 
• Manicotti Noodles
• Food coloring, Ziplock bags, and vinegar to dye the pasta (see my tutorial here)

I didn’t get a picture of me actually dyeing the pasta, but it’s really a simple procedure I explain in this post. My oldest son, Cannon, had been watching me and asking a TON of questions about what I was doing, so while the pasta dried I sat with him and we looked at art online. That’s when I introduced him to Starry Night. Unfortunately, it was just on the computer screen. No way he could appreciate the texture of the art from there! Once the rice was dry, though, we were ready to get some hands on experience with texture!

…but I didn’t love it nearly as much as I loved their inspired artwork that came afterwards!

A simple wooden mixing spoon gave more mixing opportunities in this beautiful sensory box!

I call this one “Deconstructed Starry Night”

Did someone say construction? Of course no activity would be complete without my boys finding a way to incorporate tractors into it!

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