Activities For Kids – “Play 2 Ways” Sensory Bins

Sensory Bin Ideas!

Sensory bins are a big hit around here. I used them all the time in my kindergarten classroom and also at home with my toddler. My only complaint is that they can be time consuming to make.

To solve this problem I have made “Play 2 Ways” sensory bins. They are sensory bins that can be very quickly and easily changed into a second completely different bin. This makes it less time consuming for you and double the fun for your little one!

These sensory bins can all be a little messy, so I suggest lying a big sheet, towel, or blanket down under the sensory bin for easy clean up (just shake outside, or hang to dry). An even ‘cleaner’ idea is to use the bathtub for the water sensory bins.

Sensory Bin #1 – “S is for Sammy” Bin (or A is for Abbey, B is for Benjamin)

You need:

• Plastic Bin
• 8 Cups of Flour (or 4 cups for smaller bins)
• First Letter of Your Child’s Name Cut out of Cardboard
• 6-10 little Items That Start With That Same Letter (In Sammy’s bin, we had the letter “s”, scissors, spaghetti, seashells, spoon, stickers, and a strawberry)

Sammy enjoyed pretending to make it snow by sprinkling the flour. He also liked hiding his seashells and digging with his spoon to find them.

Sensory Bin 1, Take 2 – “Cloud Dough Baking” Bin

The change up:

1. Remove all items from the bin.
2. Add to the flour: 1 cup of baby oil (or 1/2 cup if you used 4 cups of flour).
3. Mix well with your hands.
4. Play!

You need:

• Measuring Spoons
• Measuring Cups
• Spoons

This is a great bin to practice counting and measuring. And this dough is awesome for making “sand” castles.

Sensory Bin #2 – “Construction” Bin

You need:

• Dry Pasta with Big Holes (Penne is great)
• Paper Towel Tube to Tape to the Side of the Bin as a Ramp
• Cars or Trucks
• Construction Vehicles
• Little People Toys

This is a nice and simple bin. And it is always a big hit with toddlers!

Sensory Bin 2, Take 2 – “Beading” Bin

The change up:

1. Take out the pasta and divide into 2 or 3 large zip-top bags.
2. Add two squirts of hand sanitizer (containing alcohol) and a few drops of food colouring (around 10).
3. Gently massage each bag until the colour is uniform.
4. Dump out onto a plate lined with a paper towel to dry.

You need:

• Pipe Cleaners (much easier for little kids)
• Shoe Laces
• String

Bead away! It is also fun for kids to make pictures on the ground with the coloured pasta.

This is a wonderful bin to help fine motor skills develop. This activity will actually help your child get ready to hold a pencil and write.

Sensory bins allow children to learn about their world through play. They’re fun and exciting for children of all ages. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to consider giving one a try. Your child will thank you!

Please check back tomorrow for two more “Play 2 Way” sensory bins!

Do you use sensory bins in your home?