Learn how to dye salt for sensory play with this super simple and inexpensive recipe.
Dyed salt is perfect for hours of pretend play and other learning activities.
If you are looking for a fun activity to do with your kids look no further than this fun sensory material. Children will love working with colored salt for a variety of fun sensory and pretend play activities.
Continue reading for creative and exciting ways to use this dyed salt. And continue to the end of this post for ingredients and detailed instructions on how to make your own colored salt.
How to use Dyed Salt
Dyed salt is a wonderful sensory material and children love working with colored salt.
We typically use dyed salt in three different ways.
First, we use the dyed salt for extra handwriting practice.
Next, I love creating wonderful sensory bins for my young children.
Finally, we use dyed salt is for the creation of exciting and new crafts and projects.
Continue reading for a deeper dive into how we enjoy each of these activities and for a full list of materials you will need to make colored salt.
Using Colored Salt for Handwriting Practice
Using dyed salt in a tray is my favorite way to get in extra handwriting practice for young children. Place the dyed salt in a shallow tray to have the child practice letter formation.
Writing letters in colored salt is a hugely beneficial activity for young children. Not only is it fun for the child, but it also builds muscle memory and allows them to memorize the formation of letters and letter sounds.
Call out a letter and have your child say the letter sound and trace the letter in the salt with his fingers. This handwriting exercise also helps strengthen a child’s fine motor skills.
For activities like letter formation, I love using a sensory tray.
A sensory tray is a shallow tray that allows your little learner to explore using the sense of touch to identify different materials.
A sensory tray does not have to be fancy, it could be as simple as a cookie sheet or a plant saucer.
Sensory learning trays allow children to work with the salt in a small and controlled space. I personally use our 100 board as a sensory tray.
Dyed Salt for Sensory Bins
Another fun way that we love to use this dyed salt is in our sensory bins or sensory bottles. Check out this fun beach-themed sensory bin I recently put together for my son.
My children really enjoy it when we put colored salt and our favorite toys in a sensory bin. Add colored salt to a sensory bin and throw in toys like animal figures and a toy dump truck.
Another cool way to use colored salt is in a sensory bottle.
Fill a clear empty plastic bottle about ¼ of the way with the dyed salt, close the bottle tightly and pass it to your little ones for hours of fun. Sensory bottles are especially fun for toddlers as they are perfect for little hands.
Use Dyed Salt For Crafts and Projects
Make colored salt in a variety of colors and use them to create works of art or add texture and interest to a variety of craft projects.
What You Need to Make Colored Salt
To make colored salt you only need two simple ingredients. Salt and food coloring. Gel or liquid food coloring will work; however, I’ve found that gel food coloring will give the salt a more vibrant and pigmented result.
DIY Colored Salt for Sensory Play
DIY colored salt for hours of sensory play activities.
Materials
- Salt
- Food Coloring
- Ziploc bag
Instructions
- Pour 26 oz of salt into a large Ziploc bag.
- Add about 7 drops of food coloring of your choice.
- Remove air from bag and seal shut. Using your hands on hold the bag and work the salt and food coloring around until the salt is evenly colored.
Notes
Measurements for this DIY do not have to be an exact science. This is basically fail-proof.
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