You need pasta, an empty bottle, food dye or liquid water colours and some rubbing alcohol. Add pasta to the bottle, mix a few drops of dye and some alcohol and sake it well. Add more colour if needed. Dry on a paper towel (this can take 24h or more). I have used this pasta plain for over 3 years of play time and now I coloured it to make it more interesting. It will last ages. You can use it for all sort of play ideas. Easiest is to have kitchen tools and bowls.