Dem Bones, Dem Bones, Dem Pasta Bones

ages 2-6

Supplies

A few different types of pasta and dried beans, like spaghetti, macaroni, tiny tube pasta, long tube pasta, wagon wheels, long spirals, tiny shells, wagon wheels; a piece of black construction paper; white glue; a white crayon for writing.

Activity Detail

This pasta skeleton is easily made from a few different types of pasta glued to a piece of black construction paper. When you're done, you'll have a great Halloween decoration that you can also use to teach your child the names of some of our bones. Put several different kinds of pasta on the table. Have the kids choose pieces of pasta and arrange them on the paper in the shape of a skeleton. Then, glue all the pieces down (do this at the end to make sure that they have room for the whole body on the piece of paper). You can use just about any type of pasta (or dried beans) for the bones. A wagon wheel is nice for the head. Spaghetti makes good fingers and toes. Tiny tubes or dried lentils are good as vertebrae in the spine. Long tubes make collar bones. Longer tubes or long spirals make good arm and leg bones. Small shells or dried white beans are nice for the kneecaps, wrists and ankles. Two dried lima beans make good hips. Optional: Label the major bones using a white crayon.