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Dyed chickpeas in pastel shades and gold tones provide the perfect base for these unicorn theme sensory play ideas. Add unicorn figurines and loose parts and you’ll have the perfect setup for fun and engaging sensory play. Read on for instructions on how to easily dye chickpeas in a variety of dreamy colors, and use them as a base for sensory trays.
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How To Dye Chickpeas
A quick and easy way to dye chickpeas is with acrylic craft paint. Acrylic paint comes in every color under the sun and is economical to purchase at Dollar stores. This paint also dries quickly.
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Gather the following supplies:
- large bag of dried chickpeas
- acrylic craft paint in white, gold, turquoise, hot pink, and light pink hues
- measuring cup
- tablespoons
- large sandwich bags
- disposable plates or trays
Scoop one cup of chickpeas into a large sandwich bag. Add a tablespoon of craft paint. Seal the bag well and knead the chickpeas for a few minutes until they are covered in paint.
Open the bag and set it on a table. After five to ten minutes, pour the chickpeas onto a tray or disposable plate. They will be completely dry in about fifteen more minutes.
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Repeat the same process for all the colors. In the activities below, I feature hot pink, white, turquoise, gold, and ice pink hues. Other popular choices are pastel shades of yellow, blue, and purple. You can pick colors to complement the unicorn figures and accessories you have available.
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Unicorn Theme Sensory Play Ideas
Dyed chickpeas work beautifully as a base for sensory trays. Spread the chickpeas in rows in a rectangular or square kitchen tray or a white plastic bin.
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Then add any of the following accessories to the tray:
- unicorn figurines
- rainbow and unicorn erasers
- miniature flower toys
- metallic gold rocks
- princess figurine
- paper unicorn head cutouts
- tiny unicorn head storage containers
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The tray below features unicorn erasers and rainbows.
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In this next tray the erasers are swapped out for toy flowers and princess and unicorn figurines.
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Your early learners will likely mix the chickpeas together as they sort and sift through the tray.
For renewed interest and extended play, you could change or add sensory supplies.
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What other accessories would work well in a unicorn theme sensory play tray? Share in a comment below.
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Related: Chinese New Year Sensory Play
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© Annette Kaminsky March 26, 2022
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