Sensory bins are a great way to encourage children to interact and explore in a controlled environment. They are also an effective way for children to learn using all 5 senses.
According to Love Play and Learn, “[Children are] building pre-math skills, fine motor skills, language skills, imaginative play, and much, much more.”
In this post we will share 5 sensory bin ideas that are ideal for toddlers.
Today’s post was contributed to One Time Through by MummyJB.
5 Fun Sensory Bin Ideas for Curious Toddlers
Dinosaur Dig
Using sand and dinosaur toys, you can replicate a fossil dig. Bury the dinosaur toys in the sand and only let the children use brushes and spoons to dig the dinosaurs out. The harder the sand, the better.
As they dig up the dinosaurs you can get them to tell you about each one. To make the activity even more realistic tell the children they are real archeologists and have to be extra careful when digging up the “fossils.”
Garden Sensory Bin
Getting a child to learn about nature can be achieved by giving them their own garden to play with. Children love to copy adults and this is a nice way to get your children involved while you are out in the garden.
Fill the bin up with soil and give the children objects that can either be planted or put around the bin for decoration. Depending on the age of the children you can let them use their hands or give them some of your garden tools.
Click on the picture below to get your set of alphabet letters to add to a playful garden bin!
Shredded Paper Sensory Bin
What better way to teach your child the importance of recycling than using shredded paper to create a sensory bin? Not only is the shredded paper fun for the child to create a mess and scoop up, it is also very easy to clean up afterwards. This is also a fun way to show a child how paper can have many different uses.
Click on the picture below to check out our pollution clean-up shredded paper bin!
Water Bead Sensory Bin
To celebrate Earth Day, Krissy of B-Inspired Mama created a sensory bin using water beads and nature toys. The water beads are blue to give the impression of the sea and a child can fish out the different animals and plants from the bin. Krissy added an extra challenge to the sensory bin by getting her child to sort out the toys into different sections. e.g. land animals and sea creatures
Treat Sensory Bin
Using food in a sensory bin is a fun way to add an extra element to the activity. For example, you could create a small gummy worms sensory bin using raisins as dirt. This way when the child finds the worm they can also eat it.
Another option could be to make small cookies in the shape of dinosaurs or animals and have them dotted around the bin. If you are going to create edible sensory bins be careful about dividing what is edible and not.
Click on the picture below to check out our Pom Pom Ice Cream Shop sensory and math bin!
Sensory bins are great for children because they are a gender-neutral activity.
Many people believe that children get split up into gender specific activities too quickly. For example, boys are encouraged to play sports while girls are pushed towards creative activities. Sensory bins are a great way to ensure that both genders embrace their creativity and curiosity!
Have you made a sensory bin for your child? I’d love to hear about it! Leave me a comment below.
Find even more ideas and resources on my Sensory Kids Pinterest board!
Today’s post was contributed by MummyJB. JB is a full-time mom and part time writer. She loves to share hints and tips that make her children smile. Watch out for her own blog soon!
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