Colored Rice is a great way to create fast holiday decor, no matter the holiday! It’s also a great spring craft for kids.
Easter is right around the corner. Not a lot of time to decorate since it’s on March 31st this year. We seem to be so focused on St. Patrick’s Day, but Easter is way more fun to decorate for. Once again, I don’t go all out for specific Easter decorations, but I like to reflect spring and a hint of Easter. I got the wild “hare” to decorate with colored rice this year.
If you haven’t noticed, I am the queen of quick table decor!
- Red White & Blue Colored Rice Memorial Day DIY Decor
- Easy Patriotic Table Decor
- 5 Minute DIY Christmas Luminaires
Colored Rice Tutorial
Since I’m always into very EASY ideas that are hard to mess up, I thought coloring rice would be perfect. I loved how it looked layered in red, white and blue for Memorial Day and it was simple, so I thought a few Easter colors would look springy. If you’re ever stumped on what to decorate with, just grab a few mason jars. Seriously……..what CAN’T a mason jar do?
I made 5 colors of rice for 5 different jars. Perfect for lining up along the dining room table or my entry table.
How to Color Rice
Colored Rice makes holiday decorating easy. It's also a fun craft for kids.
Materials
- Food coloring | liquid or gel
- Rubbing Alcohol
- White Rice (not instant)
- Plastic Ziploc baggies
- Parchment covered baking sheet or paper plates
Instructions
- Place your rice inside the ziplock baggie
- Drop a few drops of rubbing alcohol inside with the rice
- Drip a few drops of food coloring, depending on how intense you want your rice, into the baggie
- Seal the baggie and mix around
- Once your rice is fully coated, pour onto a paper plate or cookie sheet and spread out to dry.
- Dry – I placed mine outside and it dried really quickly (about 10 min)
Notes
Pour into your jars, place a candle on top. (I would wait to light the candle in case the rubbing alcohol is still present.)
This is a great craft to get the kids involved……..just make sure the bag is sealed. Trust me.
So many options for layering all the pretty colors, or using individually as I did.
If you’ve got warm weather already, wouldn’t these look pretty on the patio?
So there you have it. Simple, yet cute table decoration for Easter.
Easter Ideas
Easy Easter Ideas for a Creative Holiday.
Sugar Cookie Easter Egg Fruit Pizza
Make this sugar cookie fruit pizza anytime of year! Just change the shape!
Diana Noeske says
I did this without the rubbing alcohol and let the grandkids put hard boiled eggs in the baggies to dye the eggs. They come out speckled. Kinda fun and no mess. Remove the eggs with tongs to avoid and colored fingers.
Kim says
That’s a GREAT idea! Thanks!
Crystal J. says
Will the color rub off onto whatever you put in with the colored rice? I’m wanting to use the filler in a jar for plastic spoons.
Kim says
I never noticed anything rubbing off. If you use the rubbing alcohol method like I did on the red, white and blue Patriotic post, it should dry it out faster. I wouldn’t get it wet of course.
Stephanie says
I love this idea Kim! So fun and versatile!
Mandy {creativecents} says
sounds super easy and such a fun look!
Anjana D says
That is such a neat idea. And I agree with you…makes me wanna say “Duh, why didn’t I do this earlier!”
Margo says
Why do use the alcohol? Can’t you just color with the food coloring?
Kim says
I’ve done it both ways and it seems to cover the rice better with more vibrant color when I use the rubbing alcohol.
Miss Kitty says
Hey Kim! Thanks so very much for sharing this great idea! I saw your post over at “Somewhat Simple” blog and I am pinning this idea so I won’t forget it.
Julie says
I love the colored rice! And I have all the supplies at my house to make this!
Verena says
This is such a cute idea. Love it!
Have a nice sunday!
Hug´s,
Verena
Toni Randal says
Wow! simple yet very wonderful…I love what you did with coloring the white rice instead of using colored sand… 🙂 I might as well try this one too…
Chris says
I absolutely LOVE this idea. SO easy and the possibilities are endless. 🙂
Lisa Stevens says
Great idea! I am going to try dying the rice with Kool Aid. They have awesome colors! 🙂
Kari says
Hello – would you be able to cook/eat the rice afterwards, or does the rubbing alcohol make create an issue with consumption?
Kim says
Since rubbing alcohol is mixed with the rice, I wouldn’t eat it. You could color it without the rubbing alcohol if you want to eat it.