<a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rice-play-0011.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1043" alt="rice play" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rice-play-0011.jpg" width="331" height="500" /></a>

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<p style="text-align: center;">Rice play!  Hours of fun with lots of things you already have around the house.  I found a 15 pound bag of rice at our local Asian grocery for only $16.  I had every intention to dye the rice pretty colors, but time did not allow.  So, I grabbed the change jar, dumped some rice into one of our signature clear bins and called O to come help.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rice-play-058.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1048" alt="rice play" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rice-play-058.jpg" width="500" height="366" /></a></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;">We started by sorting out all of the pennies.  While O couldn't tell the difference between a nickel and a dime, she did great finding all the pennies.  Next, we buried them in the rice and looked around for a few good instruments for rice play.  A plastic container with a slit cut in the top is where she would store her found treasure.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rice-play-024.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1046" alt="sensory bin" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rice-play-024.jpg" width="500" height="331" /></a></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;">Not my normal use for rice, but it works.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rice-play-018.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1045" alt="penny hunt" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rice-play-018.jpg" width="367" height="500" /></a></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;">This activity is great for fine motor skill development.  Just make sure they don't put anything in their mouths.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rice-play-014.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1044" alt="rice play 014" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rice-play-014.jpg" width="331" height="500" /></a></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;">Sure was fun.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rice-play-045.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1047" alt="rice play" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rice-play-045.jpg" width="331" height="500" /></a></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;">She's not quite ready to use the tongs, but the ladle was a big hit.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rice-play-066.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1049" alt="pink" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/rice-play-066.jpg" width="331" height="500" /></a></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;">After all that stillness and concentration, it was time to do some running around in the yard.  Bet you can't guess what her favorite color is.</p>