This adorable mobile is a terrific take-home craft!

Practice stringing, fine motor skills and color coordination with this tactile, beautiful craft.

Age: 4+

Duration: 15 minutes

Learning Outcomes: Explore the science of rainbows! Practice fine motor skills.

You’ll Need:

• R2111 Art-A-Roni® Colored Noodles
• R2195 Little Shape Beads
• Paper Plate
• Cotton Balls
• Yarn
• White Glue
• Scissors
• Hole Punch

Start by assembling all your materials. To make this craft a little neater, I poured white glue into a Classroom Bowl and I’ll use a Goo Spreader to spread my glue. To begin, I sorted out four each of the long noodles in six colors, and chose a matching bead. 

Step one is to carefully cut your paper plate in half. If you are doing this craft in a classroom setting, you’ll only need half as many plates as students!

Next, use a hole punch to make six holes in the flat side of your half plate. Try to space they roughly the same distance apart. Then punch a hole in the center of the half circle rim of your paper plate. This is where the loop of yarn to hang your mobile will go.

Next, cut six pieces of yarn, each approximately 8″ long. These will be used to string your Art-a-Roni to create the colored stripes of your rainbow.

Tie the red bead to one end of your 8″ piece of yarn. Then thread your four red noodles onto the yarn. Finally, tie the loose end of the yarn to the farthest left hole in your paper plate. Repeat with the other 5 strands of yarn and colored noodles. Finally, cut a 6″ piece of yarn, and loop it through the hole in the top of your plate. Tie it in a loop.

Once your rainbow strands are in place, it’s time to add your clouds! Use the goo spreader to put a thin layer of glue all over your paper plate. Stick the cotton balls onto the paper plate, and allow to dry.

Once the glue has dried, you have a beautiful mobile to take home and brighten up a room!

Other ideas to jazz up your mobile include:

• Use our Junior Paint Spritzers to add color to your clouds! Make sure to cover the yarn and noodles with newspaper for this step.
• Roll your noodles in glue and a little bit of glitter to add some sparkle to your rainbow!
• Make a double layer of rainbow strings! Punch a second set of holes above and in between the first set of holes for varied lengths and extra color.
• Instead of cotton balls, use pom poms! They can be wild colored, or they can be arranged as a rainbow to mirror your hanging strands.

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