Have you tried: shaving cream dyed red, red ice cubes (or an off take of this: ice with rock salt and jars of liquid water color and eyedroppers), leaves, polymer crystals (soaked overnight) and red coloring, shredded paper, cooked and colored noodles, feathers, packing peanuts and red markers, red yarn, ribbon/fabric, red Goop (cornstarch and water), red play dough, real flower petals along with fake flowers, dog/cat food and stuffed animals, animal food dishes, measuring devices, etc (they can “feed” their animals!), Clean Mud dyed red (mix 1 roll white toilet paper in small pieces, and equal parts of dry flake soap and warm water – consistency should be like thick cool whip), or go to the pet store and see if they have any bags of cage liner (like wood chips or something) that is in a red tone, dye pop corn kernels red, dyed egg shells, birdseed, etc…

Your only limit is your imagination! Good luck with this and I’m sure your class will love whatever you choose!

Red jello with small objects to treasure hunt for. fruit pieces, toys, large beads etc. It addresses many sensory areas, including tactile, visual, proprioception. Another idea, and I have not tried this, but how about spaghetti with “sauce”, talk about a tactile experience. The sauce could be made out of something red that won’t stain clothes or hands. How big is your sensory tub? You could fill it with those red hot candies, though this could be a choking hazard if your kids decide they look good to eat, and what 18-24 month old does not think that at some point. Good Luck.

here is a better list than some of those listed above and much safer for your age group…

collect fabric pieces of different colors and textures then hide other items in time to “find”….sand would work add other red objects to “find”…….fabric leaves…..noodles would work(try the colored rotini)….foam rocks…..what ever you choose remember that age group will probably put some or all of it into their mouths so choose accordingly

Colored sand, red craft feathers, red jell-o (could get messy), red tissue paper.

apples, red sand, red paper, red cereal pieces (fruity pebbles?) red candles, etc. Hope this jogs your brain!

red duplo blocks.