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Home / Early Learning / Sensory / How to Dye Corn for Richly Colored Popcorn Kernels

How to Dye Corn for Richly Colored Popcorn Kernels

Shared by Mary Catherine 92 Comments

I have always loved the look of brightly colored popcorn kernels and finally figured out how to dye corn! They’re perfect in many of my favorite fall activities for kids!

Are you following Fun-A-Day’s Fall Pinterest board?

pinnable image showing popcorn in a jar with food coloring then the resulting colored popcorn with the text diy colored popcorn kernels

Now that we have colorful corn kernels, we use them ALL THE TIME. They’re great for sensory exploration, for art projects, as manipulatives during math, and for decorating.

Colorful sensory materials really engage the kids in a wide variety of early learning activities. The visual stimulation seems to draw the children’s interest in, doesn’t it?

I really, really wanted to use some colorful corn in a few preschool activities. I love making my own sensory materials and have great success dyeing rice, pasta, and pumpkin seeds, so I thought learning to dye corn would be easy.

But since I’d never created colored popcorn kernels before, I looked online for some suggestions. While there are tons of ideas for preparing, decorating with, and creating with corn, there weren’t too many ideas about HOW to dye corn kernels.

collage of four images of richly colored popcorn kernels being used in a preschool

Related: How to Dye Pumpkin Seeds

Table of Contents

  • How to Make Colored Popcorn Kernels
    • First Up: How NOT to Dye Corn
    • Richly Colored Popcorn Kernels
    • Materials Needed to Dye Corn Kernels
    • Directions to Dye Corn
    • Fun Activities to Try Using Colored Popcorn Kernels
    • Where to Buy Colored Popcorn Kernels
    • A Note about Using Foods for Sensory Play and Art
  • More Preschool Learning Ideas

How to Make Colored Popcorn Kernels

Me being me, I turned this whole process into my own little science experiment.  I’m pretty sure my students all found this process very entertaining! I know my teaching assistant got a few good laughs at it.

Oh, and just to clarify, the corn kernels are just regular ol’ popcorn kernels.

First Up: How NOT to Dye Corn

First, I tried the baggy and food dye method.  I placed some corn kernels in a  plastic baggy, added some food coloring, zipped the bag, and shook everything up for a few minutes.

Even though this method works great when I dye pasta and rice, it didn’t cut it for the corn!  

The corn kernels have a smoother surface than rice or pasta, which is why I think this method didn’t work all that well.  The dye stuck to some parts of the kernels but not others, and the color just wasn’t all that great.

Failed attempt to dye corn - poorly colored popcorn kernels
My first botched attempt at dying corn. Notice the spotty coverage and dull color.

Next, I tried adding a little bit of rubbing alcohol to the baggy that held corn and food coloring.  Still the same problems.  I tried a splash of vinegar too, but to no avail.

As I told the kiddos, when you’re conducting a scientific experiment you need to try more than one idea. This was also a great way to show the children that not all experiments are a success!

Richly Colored Popcorn Kernels

I kept plugging along until I came upon a method that worked incredibly well for me.  To finally create a rich, even color on the corn kernels, I dyed them like I would dye Easter eggs!

Close up look at red colored corn kernels
One of my successful batches! Note the thorough coverage and rich color!

When comparing the final batch to the original batch, there was a marked difference. The kids and I used all of the corn, even the botched attempts, but I definitely preferred the corn from my final batch!

Comparing methods of how to dye corn
The 2 on the left were from my first few attempts at dying the corn. The 2 on the right are from my final, successful batches. Man, what a difference!

Materials Needed to Dye Corn Kernels

Here’s what I ended up using in my successful corn dyeing attempts. Most of these items are easily found in the kitchen.

Or, if you’re anything like me, you’ll have them in your preschool teacher stash already.

  • A jar, container, or plastic baggie large enough to hold about 2 cups of liquid
  • Water
  • Vinegar
  • Food Coloring
  • Popcorn Kernels
  • Slotted Spoon

Directions to Dye Corn

Below you’ll find my tried-and-true method for how to dye corn. I’ve made colorful corn this way countless times since 2013. And I’m happy to report that this method has worked successfully every time!

Start off by partially filling a jar, container, or plastic baggie with water. We used about 2/3 cup of water.

Next, add vinegar to the water. I found that having the amount of vinegar equal to the amount of water we used worked the best. So we used about 2/3 cup of vinegar.

You can try using less vinegar if you want, but don’t leave it out entirely. I tested dyeing the corn using my method without the vinegar and it didn’t work out nearly as well.

Then add your desired amount of food coloring to the water/vinegar mixture.  Swish to distribute color. I used about a tablespoon of coloring for every cup or two of corn.

image of popcorn kernels in a glass jar with food coloring being added

Related: Butterfly Life Cycle Sensory Bottles

Finally, it’s time to add the corn kernels to your container. We used about a cup of corn. Make sure the liquid completely covers the corn. If it doesn’t, add a bit more liquid.

Now it’s time to wait. You need to let the corn sit in the liquid for at least a few hours.  I let mine sit overnight and find that gives me the best results.

The next morning, remove the corn kernels using a slotted spoon.

Be sure to let the corn dry completely. I know the process takes a bit of time, but it is well worth it!

Have you ever tried to dye corn kernels?

Fun Activities to Try Using Colored Popcorn Kernels

The best part is playing with the corn! My preschool kids can’t get enough of it, and I can’t either, of course.

We make this colorful corn mosaic art every year. It’s always fun to see the children’s individual creations.

Our rainbow corn sensory bin is always a hit! We used it around St. Patrick’s Day the first time, but it really is suitable any time of the year.

Tray of colored popcorn kernels
The kids and I used all of the corn kernels, even the ones that didn’t turn out too well!

In December, the kids love this scented candy cane sensory bin. You can use it around Valentine’s Day too, especially if you leave out the peppermint scent.

And red and green corn kernels are perfect for Christmas contact paper art! It was actually the kids’ idea to incorporate the corn in this art idea.

These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many other Corn Activities and Crafts for Kids where you can replace your run-of-the-mill corn with this rainbow corn!

Where to Buy Colored Popcorn Kernels

Obviously, I love colorful corn for a variety of activities! But I know not everyone has the time or inclination to dye corn themselves. So I thought I’d share some ideas for buying colored popcorn kernels instead.

Keep in mind, the only way to really get richly-colored rainbow corn is to dye it yourself. BUT you can also find a variety of non-yellow corn to purchase.

First, take a look at local grocery stores and chain stores. Keep an eye out for “gourmet” popcorn. You’ll often find multi-color corn kernels that way.

After that, you can check out corn kernels online. Below are some possibilities from Amazon. I haven’t had the chance to try these out, as I tend to prefer making my own!

A Note about Using Foods for Sensory Play and Art

I know that some people are concerned about using food for art/crafts/sensory play/etc. There is a concern that it is disrespectful towards children who might not be getting enough to eat at home.

image of colored popcorn kernels in a sensory bin with tweezers and spoons

Related: Popcorn Number Cards

While I certainly understand this concern, I respectfully disagree.  In the past, I have worked with children who weren’t getting enough to eat.

As their teacher, and a member of their community, I did all I could to ensure they were cared for and well-nourished. I would never let a child in my care go hungry, and their needs were (and always are) paramount in my mind.

It is still an issue that I concern myself with now, even though my current students don’t have those same problems. The food I use for crafts, sensory play, etc. are often stale or past their “sell by” dates.

I also take great care to keep the food in sealed containers to use again and again if it’s possible.

If you’d like to read pros and cons on this topic, TinkerLab has a great post about this topic – Should Food Be Used in Preschool Sensory Activities?

More Preschool Learning Ideas

Save time and get right to the playful learning with done-for-you lesson plans and educational activities for preschoolers from Preschool Teacher 101.

Click the images below for more information about each resource. Be sure to take a look at the membership options, too.

three preschool printables with a purple flower and a green frog and the title digital and printable colors 3-in-1 activity pack
Colors Digital Pack
picture of two fall printables for preschool with a cartoon girl with a pumpkin and a basket of apples with the text preschool fall lesson plans
Preschool Fall Lesson Plans
picture of two preschool printables and several cartoon kids picking apples in the fall with the text this is the way fall song pack and book set preschool and kindergarten
Fall Circle Time Song Pack

Originally published November 25, 2013. Post updated to include new images and video.

pinnable image of a sensory bin full of colorful dyed corn kernels and the text how to make colored popcorn kernels

Filed Under: Sensory Tagged With: corn, Fall, How to Dye

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  1. Ann says

    November 26, 2013 at 5:50 pm

    MC, you are a genius!! I am already dreaming of ways I can use dyed corn!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 29, 2013 at 10:20 am

      Ann, you are awesome!!! Thanks so much for your way too kind words!! 🙂 I’ve got a zillion ideas for using the dyed corn, too — can’t wait to try some of them out. Let me know if you try dyeing your own!

      Reply
  2. There's Just One Mommy says

    November 26, 2013 at 8:23 pm

    What bright colors! This looks like so much fun! Can’t wait to give it a try this week!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 29, 2013 at 10:19 am

      Yay!! Let me know how it goes when you try it out next week. 🙂

      Reply
  3. marwa says

    November 27, 2013 at 2:02 am

    I respect your and value your last paragraph very much …you are such a human soul

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 29, 2013 at 10:19 am

      Thank you for the kind words! 🙂

      Reply
  4. jodie fitz says

    November 27, 2013 at 6:25 am

    It makes great gifts – We’ve been making it for quite some time. I prefer the baggie/rub/soak method 🙂
    But so much fun for the kids and adults all around :)!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 29, 2013 at 10:18 am

      So many fun uses for the colorful corn kernels . . . I agree, Jodie! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Janice West says

    November 27, 2013 at 11:26 am

    I, too, love to use some foods for preschool discovery and artwork. I’ve been chastised because of the hunger issues. But, I love your disclaimer and agree 100%. Thank you for giving me the freedom to use items that enhance the experience for children to learn. And, I’ve never thought about coloring corn but your idea has prompted me to have another activity to do with my grandchildren! Bless you.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 29, 2013 at 10:16 am

      Thanks for your sweet words, Janice! It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who thinks so. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Jennifer says

    November 27, 2013 at 6:37 pm

    THANK YOU for your comments of use of food. I couldn’t agree more! People over react to this too much. It is not like you were going to pop the corn and feed it to hungry children but choose not to. It is hard enough to come up with process art as coloring pages and crafts have been outlawed and taking food out of the equation is even harder.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 29, 2013 at 10:15 am

      Thanks so much for your comments, Jennifer. I really feel that I, as an educator, will always strive to make sure my students are healthy, happy, and loved. I worked for 5 years at a school where adequate food and nutrition was a real concern for some of the kiddos. My colleagues and I were very aware of the kids’ home situations and always made sure they were taken care of as best we could both at school and within the local town.

      Reply
  7. Sharon Hoinoski says

    November 27, 2013 at 8:06 pm

    I assume you didn’t use sweet corn, so where can I find that kind of corn you used?

    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 29, 2013 at 10:11 am

      I just used the corn kernels from the grocery store — popcorn kernels. I think this would work well on completely dried out regular corn kernels as well. I just grabbed the bag of popcorn kernels because it was easier. 🙂

      Reply
  8. JDaniel4's Mom says

    November 29, 2013 at 5:46 am

    I had trouble dyeing popcorn for a science experiment. Now I know what I should have used to make the color bright.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 29, 2013 at 10:10 am

      I was frustrated when I first tried to dye the corn/popcorn too! Thus all my random experimenting. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by to check out the dyeing “recipe” here!

      Reply
  9. marty McCain says

    December 1, 2013 at 10:23 am

    Great idea for those died kernels after Thanksgiving. I brought opened pinecones to my preschool class where the kiddos could glue and glitter the cones. Then they would put a dot of glue on the cone petals and then they placed the colorful kernels for “Christmas lights” and putting a yellow one at the top for the star. It was hit.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      January 1, 2014 at 7:14 pm

      {I am so sorry for the delay in responding!} Marty, I LOVE this activity! Thank you so much for telling me about it. If you get the chance, would you mind posting a picture or two from this activity on Fun-A-Day’s Facebook page? I’d love to share it with my other readers too! Again, I looooove this idea! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Angela says

    December 1, 2013 at 7:33 pm

    .. so can these then be popped and eaten? do they come out coloured? 🙂 I may have to do my own science experiment!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      January 1, 2014 at 7:16 pm

      {So sorry for the delay!} I never did get that far, Angela! The popcorn kernels I had were old, so I never planned on popping them. If you do your own experiment, I would LOVE to hear how it goes!!! 🙂

      Reply
      • Thurman Hart says

        December 9, 2014 at 9:58 am

        I tried this and am thrilled with the results. AND, the corn can be popped and eaten afterwards. It doesn’t change the color of the popped corn (except the part where the hull itself shows). It does seem to make the popcorn a bit less fluffy, but it could have just needed more drying before I tried it.

        Reply
        • Mary Catherine says

          December 30, 2014 at 11:25 am

          That’s awesome to know! Thanks for filling us in on what you tried. 🙂

          Reply
  11. Jeniese says

    December 2, 2013 at 10:49 am

    If you choose to pop the corn will the popped corn be the dyed color as well? I was thinking about making garland in different colors if it did. Thanks – Jeniese

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      December 5, 2013 at 7:58 am

      Jeniese, that garland sounds like a great idea! I’ve only used the corn kernels for art, crafts, and sensory play thus far. I’m not sure if the color will stay once it’s popped, but I don’t think so.

      Reply
  12. MONIKA says

    December 4, 2013 at 8:43 pm

    Would the deer corn that is for sale work I wonder?

    The idea is great- thanks for figuring it out for the rest of us 🙂

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      December 5, 2013 at 7:47 am

      I bet it would work out with deer corn, as well, but I haven’t tried that yet! If you try it, let me know how it goes! I would love to know.

      Reply
  13. Kate says

    March 2, 2014 at 1:29 pm

    What amount much water, vinegar, food coloring and corn did you use? My fiance and I are getting married Summer of 2015 and he is a farmer. We want to dye corn and put it into the bottom of a Mason jar and put a votive candle for the centerpieces. I really want to try this out. It’s a fun idea. Our flower girl and I can make a fun project out of it!!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      March 12, 2014 at 7:33 pm

      Congratulations, Kate! I LOVE the idea of using colored corn as part of your centerpieces! If you do that, I would absolutely ADORE a picture of what you did! I didn’t use an exact amount each time, but here’s an approximate “recipe” — 2/3 cup vinegar, 2/3 cup water, 1/2 to 1 TB food coloring (depending on how deep you want the colors to be), and 2 cups of corn kernels.

      Reply
  14. Hannah says

    May 28, 2014 at 9:19 pm

    My corn isn’t dying as well as your pictures. It seems to be taking to like a tip part of the kernels but not the full glossy kernel part. I need them for my kids to make a Roman Mosaic on Friday. Any ideas? I just added more dye to the bags tonight hoping they will look more colorful in the morning.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      May 28, 2014 at 10:18 pm

      Oh Hannah I’m sorry they’re not dyeing as well as you’d like! Our leftover colorful corn is still vibrant after months. I would suggest adding more dye, like you’d already said. Let the corn soak overnight for the brightest colors. Also, double check the dye you’re using. For me, it was the basic food coloring (red, blue, yellow, and green) that worked the best for me. Those neon colors, while pretty on their own, just didn’t “sink in” to the corn kernels. I hope those tips help a little bit!! Let me know!

      Reply
  15. Nicole says

    August 5, 2014 at 10:16 am

    Hello! I was so excited to try this. I did it yesterday and followed the water, vinegar, food coloring directions and when I woke up today it doesn’t appear that it worked for me. Do you think I used too much water? Since it didn’t work I’m going to try it again with more vinegar. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 6, 2014 at 3:07 pm

      I would try to add more food coloring and use less liquid (just enough to cover the kernels. 🙂

      Reply
  16. Elyse says

    December 8, 2014 at 3:26 pm

    After you dye them, if youpop then will theybe that color? We are looking to do a Christmas activity

    Reply
  17. Michelle says

    April 3, 2015 at 10:04 pm

    Can’t wait to try this! A quick question (just because I have no clue how to dye anything), in the recipe, step 2, add about a tablespoon of vinegar…. But I was reading thru the comments, and towards the end, you gave a 2/3 C vinegar, 2/3 C water, 1 1/2 TBSP food coloring. Which one would dye them better? The 2/3 C vinegar?

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      April 10, 2015 at 11:00 am

      Hi, Michelle – thank you! I think I’d go with more vinegar, but you can always test it out and see what works better for you. 🙂 Our dyed corn is still going strong (what’s left that hasn’t been used for arts and crafts, of course)! Let me know how yours turns out!!

      Reply
  18. Veronica Lenzner-Vogt says

    June 24, 2015 at 2:18 am

    Love the idea… found it on a partylite candle board. Going to try it!

    Reply
  19. Lane Reynolds says

    August 11, 2016 at 1:37 am

    I love the colorful beans and corn. Please put me on your mailing list. My grandson is moving closer to me in a couple of weeks. I can’t wait to do these projects with him.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      August 11, 2016 at 4:51 pm

      Thanks so much, Lane! How exciting that your grandson will be closer soon. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear about what activities you try with him,

      Reply
  20. Brook says

    August 29, 2016 at 4:41 pm

    Do you think liquid watercolors woiuld work?

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      August 29, 2016 at 5:38 pm

      Oh how I LOVE liquid watercolors! Alas, they didn’t seem to work when I tried them. But if you find out differently, let me know!

      Reply
  21. Wendy says

    September 13, 2016 at 11:22 am

    Hi there, is there a particular type of vinegar you used or would any work?
    I can’t wait to try this out!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      September 13, 2016 at 4:43 pm

      Hi Wendy! I just used regular white vinegar. 🙂

      Reply
  22. Carrie says

    November 5, 2016 at 7:09 pm

    This looks great! Can’t wait to try it. Where did you buy the corn kernels?

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 5, 2016 at 8:41 pm

      Thanks, Carrie! I just grabbed them at the local grocery store. 🙂

      Reply
  23. Cori Johnson says

    November 19, 2016 at 8:47 pm

    Do you know if the corn is still edible after using this method? I remember rainbow colored popcorn from the 80’s and I can’t find it. This method looks amazing but I wonder if it can still be popped

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 22, 2016 at 4:09 pm

      I’m not sure it would taste all that great, to be honest. I know it can still be popped (we did an experiment to see if would affect the color of the popcorn, but it doesn’t since we dye the outside of the kernel and the popcorn comes from inside the kernel). 🙂

      Reply
    • Stacey says

      September 20, 2019 at 3:59 pm

      Cori, I have been looking for that popcorn as well. It is nowhere! The last time I bought it was over 15 years ago at our local Shop N’ Save. Bascom’s is the name brand. I am going to use this method and see what happens when I pop it!

      Reply
      • Mary Catherine says

        October 4, 2019 at 11:36 am

        Let us know if you ever find it, Stacey! We’ve since tried the popping method but it doesn’t come out colored – since we’re dyeing the outer shell and the part inside the shell is what pops out.

        Reply
  24. Destiny says

    January 7, 2017 at 3:18 pm

    Have you ever tried popping the kernels once they are dyed? Do they come pop colorful?

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      January 7, 2017 at 9:32 pm

      We tried, as my son wanted to know that too. 🙂 No, they don’t come out colorful (likely because it’s just the outside of the kernel that’s dyed). 🙂

      Reply
  25. Nicole Beauchamp says

    March 14, 2017 at 2:22 am

    Thumbs up to your comment about using food. In my opinion it is no different to wasting anything be it food, paper, glue or paint. Be as careful as you can not to waste anything. I can’t wait to try this idea in our playgroup. Thanks for the inspiration

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      March 14, 2017 at 8:47 pm

      Thanks so much for your kind words, Nicole! 🙂 Let me know how it goes with your playgroup.

      Reply
  26. Amber says

    March 17, 2017 at 8:57 am

    Could you still pop them? Them they become colored popcorn?

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      March 17, 2017 at 2:53 pm

      You can pop them, but they won’t pop up colorful (we tried)!

      Reply
  27. GAIL WOODWARD says

    December 19, 2017 at 1:22 pm

    Are these edible if popped?

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      December 30, 2017 at 11:21 am

      We only popped a few, and we didn’t try any. Since we usually use them in art or sensory play, we don’t tend to eat them. I suppose I wouldn’t be opposed to taste-testing them since it’s just popcorn, vinegar, and food coloring.

      Reply
  28. Marie says

    March 3, 2018 at 12:16 pm

    how do you keep the popcorn kernels from sticking? I used gel food coloring and they have been drying for 2 days and they are still so sticky. My kids cannot even play with it. any suggestions to try and unstick the corn kernels after dying?

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      March 3, 2018 at 5:19 pm

      Well that’s just no fun, Marie. 🙁 I only used regular ol’ food coloring for dyeing the corn kernels. It seems that the gel food colors make the whole process sticky. With the regular food coloring, the kernels have never stuck together for me (and we’ve done this process over and over again over the years). I wish I had some experience with this to better help!

      Reply
  29. Barb says

    April 21, 2018 at 7:02 pm

    Does the food coloring come off rice, noodles and corn on to little hands? ☺️

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      April 30, 2018 at 5:03 pm

      We didn’t run into any issues with the food coloring coming off on little hands. Just make sure to completely dry the corn before placing the corn in a sensory bin. 🙂

      Reply
  30. Christine says

    September 13, 2018 at 12:42 pm

    Is there any special drying instructions? Or just spread them out in a flat layer to dry? How long does that take usually? Ours sat in dye overnight and we’ll be using them in a program on Saturday! I appreciate you taking the time to test out methods for the rest of us 🙂

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      September 13, 2018 at 3:03 pm

      Hi Christine! I’ll need to pop back and update the post so it includes better drying instructions. We just put the dyed corn in a flat layer like you mentioned and left them to dry. They should be dry in time for your program on Saturday (but now I have the urge to dye more corn so I can get an exact drying time). I think I left the batches out to dry for a day just to be safe. Let me know how your program goes!!!!

      Reply
  31. lara says

    September 29, 2018 at 9:33 pm

    how much vinegar to water

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      September 30, 2018 at 12:36 pm

      Hey Lara! I found that equal parts water and vinegar worked the best (we used about 2/3 cup water and 2/3 cup vinegar). I’ll edit the post to make sure it says that.

      Reply
  32. Asia says

    October 5, 2018 at 12:20 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing this! I loved your comment at the end about those in need and I truly agree with you! I’m prepping hard now to color kernels!! Yay!!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      October 7, 2018 at 11:47 am

      Thanks so much for your kind words, Asia! I hope you have a blast using the colorful corn kernels.

      Reply
  33. Kym says

    November 12, 2018 at 12:59 pm

    the corn is so beautiful. I am going to try it, thanks for the recipe

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 13, 2018 at 9:56 pm

      Thanks, Kym! Let me know how it goes! 🙂

      Reply
  34. sue tyler says

    November 16, 2018 at 11:31 am

    my only question is what keeps the popcorn from tasting like vinegar I have died kernels before just using food color then spreading the dyed corn on cookie sheets until dry they do make a pretty gift

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 16, 2018 at 2:37 pm

      We use the dyed popcorn for sensory play and art projects, we we’re not eating them. So I’m not worried about the vinegar. 🙂 I’ve tried just using the food coloring, but the corn kernels never seem to come out as rich as this particular method. But I’m glad to hear you’ve had success with it!

      Reply
  35. Neha says

    November 16, 2018 at 3:07 pm

    Do you keep the dyed corn kernels in the fridge to get the best color, the freezer, or just leave them outside covered?

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      December 14, 2018 at 4:15 pm

      I left them in the bags overnight on the counter. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  36. Gail says

    March 4, 2019 at 1:36 pm

    I do the same thing with rice for St. Patrick’s Day each year in my sensory table. We also use it for art projects throughout the year afterwards to not waste it. I love the idea of doing corn for a change. I adore the bright colors too! Thanks so much for sharing your experiment and findings to make it easier for the rest of us who follow!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      March 4, 2019 at 6:40 pm

      Yes, rainbow rice is a blast, too! So glad you’re inspired to try out the corn, too. 🙂

      Reply
  37. Baby Lyn P. Gois says

    March 5, 2019 at 4:31 pm

    This is nice…. I have used colored rice grains before but those are very tiny pieces for a kindergartner’s hands… you gave me an idea on this… Thank you….

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      March 5, 2019 at 7:47 pm

      I’m glad to hear that! Let me know if you get the chance to try it. 🙂

      Reply
  38. Maryjo Flamm-Miller says

    March 6, 2019 at 4:32 pm

    When I was using white rice in a sensory table, a mother of Chinese descent said she thought it was odd that we were “playing” with food they ate everyday. This made me think about using food. Was I leading the children to devalue ingredients? I still pay attention to the ethnic experiences of my students when deciding to use rice, beans, corn, etc in the sensory bins. I think there is good value in the textures, though.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      April 24, 2019 at 9:40 am

      Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and experience with us!

      Reply
  39. Sinthia Gray says

    March 12, 2019 at 5:35 am

    I didn’t read the comments yet so sorry if I repeat (btw loved this I plan on spending all summer making art with my niece and this is an easy way to do that) I wanted to comment on what you said about it being disrespectful to those who don’t get enough to eat. As a child who only ate if the neighbors fed us or if we were at school I can assure you this is not disrespectful. What’s disrespectful is making comments and complaining about a teachers choice of medium while doing nothing to correct the thing you complain about. People need to stop talking and protesting and do something! You are clearly a doer, your doing is just as important I assure you! I am the kind of person I am today because of teachers like you! Keep up the good work!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      March 14, 2019 at 10:23 am

      Thank you so much for your very kind words. They made my day!!! <3 Let me know how the summer goes with your niece!

      Reply
  40. Crystal says

    April 1, 2019 at 4:42 am

    Thank you for doing this experiment to find how to color corn kernels! I’ll definitely being doing this with my son this month. He is going to love it!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      April 24, 2019 at 9:38 am

      Be sure to let me know how it goes! 🙂

      Reply
  41. Ave says

    September 26, 2019 at 12:38 pm

    People are just looking for an excuse to be offended on the internet. (I seriously doubt they ran out after the hungry kid statement and donated food or money to fix this problem of hungry kids)

    Another note, I love your ideas, tricks and patterns for crafts. Thank you for taking the time and making the effort.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      October 1, 2019 at 1:34 pm

      Hi Ave! I know people have different opinions than I do, and that’s okay. I really appreciate your kind words!!!

      Reply
  42. Judy Bleiler says

    December 22, 2019 at 4:17 pm

    I would like to thank you very much for finding a way to color it because the baggie way did not work for me, and I searched everywhere!!! Merry Christmas!!!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      December 22, 2019 at 4:31 pm

      Oh I am so happy to have been of some help! Merry Christmas to you, too!

      Reply
  43. Danielle Hardy says

    March 18, 2020 at 12:28 pm

    It did t work for me. The popcorn didn’t dye hardly at all!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      March 18, 2020 at 12:40 pm

      Sorry to hear that. I’ve tried this more than 10 times and it has always worked for me. The key is making sure to keep the corn soaked in the vinegar and water, and to make sure you have added vinegar (it won’t work in just water).

      Reply
  44. Rachel Stuewe says

    November 4, 2020 at 2:02 pm

    Did you use white vinegar?

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 4, 2020 at 3:24 pm

      Yes, just plain ol’ white vinegar!

      Reply
  45. Deborah says

    November 4, 2020 at 2:49 pm

    I had never thought of using corn and dying it. Thank you so much for the receipe. Your corn was so beautiful and I am going out to buy come corn. Thanks again.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 4, 2020 at 3:24 pm

      You’re so welcome! We have used the dyed corn for soooo many things, and it’s always so engaging for the kids. Thank you! 🙂

      Reply
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