Skip to main content

Pasta Pictures

Your child's artwork will look good enough to eat with this entertaining arts & crafts activity.

By: Christine Dvornik |
Updated: April 27, 2025
By: Christine Dvornik |
Updated: April 27, 2025

Pasta Pictures

iMagstn.gifAge: Preschool and up
Time: An hour or more
Type of activity: Arts and Crafts

This activity gives Italian art a whole new meaning!

Materials needed:
· Spaghetti noodles (or other pasta)
· Cooking oil
· Waxed paper
· Pencil, crayons, and other decorative materials
· Construction paper

What to do:

Step One: Boil a handful of pasta for each picture your child is going to make. To prevent the pasta from sticking together, add a tablespoon of cooking oil to the water.

Step Two: To make different colored pasta, add food coloring to the boiling water. Use a different pot of water for each color of pasta you'd like to make.

The Best Car-Themed Toys for Toddlers

Editor’s Note: We know raising kids can be hard. That’s why we’re dedicated to making your life easier with the latest and greatest parenting advice and products. We wanted to let you know that if you chose to purchase one of the items featured in this post, we may receive a small commission for it. Read More

Step Three: Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package (usually about 8-10 minutes) and then drain.

Step Four: Rinse the cooked pasta under cold water.

Step Five: Lay the pasta on a paper towel.

Now it's your child's turn!

Step Six: Shape the pieces of pasta into designs on the construction paper. Your child may want to draw out a design ahead of time with a crayon or pencil and then fill it in with pasta.

Step Seven: When the design is complete, cover the picture with a sheet of waxed paper.

Step Eight: Lay a phone book (or other heavy book) on top of the waxed paper.

Step Nine: Let the picture dry for a few hours. The phone book will make the pasta dry flat and stick to the paper like magic!

Join the Family

Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning.

Subscribe