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Materials
Dyed purple rice
Large container
Cups, spoons, plastic bottles, funnels, scoops

Directions
Pour dyed purple rice in a large plastic open container.  Place a variety of cups, bottles, scoops, spoons, and funnels into the container.  Invite child to explore by scooping, measuring, pouring, etc. 

Sensory play is an important part of the scientific process, as children investigate, question, discover, and problem solve.  It builds language, social, and dramatic play skills as the children negotiate with one another to share tools, create stories, and build dialogues.  Both small and large motor skills get a boost as well, as the children manipulate the medium and tools.

Store rice in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Materials
1 box red Jell-O
1 box of blue Jell-O
Coffee filters or white construction paper
Spray bottle with water
Newspaper

Directions
Lay newspaper on the table.  Place a piece of construction paper or a coffee filter on top of the newspaper.  Invite your child to sprinkle Jell-O powder, both red and blue onto the large coffee filter or white piece of construction paper.  Moisten the Jello-O and paper using a spray bottle filled with water.  Once the paper has dried, brush any remaining Jell-O of the paper.  Observe how the red and blue Jell-O powder mixed  to make purple on the paper.

Materials
Purchased lacing cards  or card stock
Hole puncher
Scissors
Shoelace

Directions
Cut simple shapes out of card stock.  Invite your child to punch holes around the shapes.  Using a shoestring, encourage your child to sew around the shape with an up/down pattern.

Materials
Construction paper cut into rectangles (approximately 4×6)
Pictures of purple objects (cut from magazines or clip art)
Glue stick
Stapler
Marker

Directions
Cut pictures of purple objects from magazines or clip art.  Invite your child to choose one picture to glue on each 4×6 piece of construction paper.  Talk about each object and label each page (e.g. purple grapes, purple buttons, purple hat, etc.) Once the pages are complete, staple them together to make a book.  Add a cover with the title, “My Purple Book”.  Read the book frequently to your child and have her read the book to you, too.

Materials
12×18 piece of purple construction paper
Small objects to decorate crown (e.g. plastic jewels, sequins, stickers, feathers)
Glitter
Glue
Stapler

Directions
Cut construction paper in half lenthwise to be 6×18.  Invite your child to decorate the front of the paper by gluing feathers, jewels, foam pieces, stickers, etc.  Sprinkle the crown with a little glitter to make it sparkly. Once the glue is dry, wrap the paper around your child’s head and staple to make a crown.  It can be as simple or elaborate as your child would like it to be.

Inspired by the book, Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes

Materials
Long piece of purple construction paper (approximately 6×15)
Pipe cleaner or ribbon to make the handle
Stickers, pictures cut out of a magazine, or clip art
Markers
Glue
Tape
Small piece of velcro (optional)

Directions
Fold the bottom of the construction paper so it reaches about 3 inches from the top.  Fold the top down to look like a purse.  Use a pipe cleaner or ribbon and attach each end underneath the fold to make a handle for the purse.  Secure with tape.   (Optional) Stick a small piece of velcro underneath the flap and on the purse to act like a latch for holding the purse closed. Open and unfold the purse and invite your child to glue various pictures and stickers inside. Ask your child to tell you what he has in his purse.

Preschool age children may want to draw their own pictures or label the pictures in the purse.