5 Fab Sensory Box/Bin Ideas For Little Ones

Garden Sensory Bin

I found the idea for this fab garden sensory bin on Modern Parents Messy Kids, you can find a complete tutorial along with free printables here!

Diggers & Dumpers Sensory Box

Here’s another great sensory box from our friends over at Modern Parents Messy Kids that’s super EASY to make! There’s something about digging & dumping that kids of all ages enjoy. You can check out the original post from Modern Parents, Messy Kids here.

Seasonal Sensory Box

You can make a sensory box for just about every holiday and season! This sensory box idea from Structured Play is perfect for Fall, check out their full post here.

Water Beads Sensory Bin

All of our kidlets love playing with water beads or “orbeez” as they call them, and this sensory bin idea from Pink and Green Mama is nothing short of genius! Check out the full post with instructions here.

Silly Spaghetti Sensory Bin

We have made spaghetti sensory bins several times, and it’s always a BIG hit! From a cooking sensory bin, to a “worm” sensory bin, the possibilities with spaghetti are endless! For complete details on making the fabulous Silly Spaghetti Sensory Bin pictured above visit this post on Mom’s Crafty Space.

Sensory bins are a great way to occupy children, while engaging their senses and helping little ones master a wide variety of skills including…

• Fine Motor (placing small objects into small areas, using tongs or tweezers to pick up objects)
• Transferring (moving objects from one container to another, i.e. pouring, scooping)
• Matching (colors, shapes, objects, etc.)
• Patterns (big, small, big, small or flower, butterfly, flower, butterfly, etc.)
• Counting of how our Spring bin prompted Brylee to count)
• Sorting and Classifying (into other objects such as ice cube trays, small buckets, egg platters)
• Specific skill recognition & reinforcement (colors, letters, shapes, themes, etc.)

Making Your Own Sensory Bin

Step one: Find a large container, preferably one you already have lying around the house.

Step two: Think simple & try to upcycle & re-use whenever possible.  Items that I have used with great success are -

• large noodles (dried or cooked)
• flour & measuring cups & sifter
• a variety of large dried beans (for sorting)
• decaffeinated coffee grounds & small toy dinosaurs
• rice, magnets, & small items which are both metal & non-metal
• sea shells, rocks, & a magnifying glass
• shredded paper (great use for junk mail)
• cornmeal & toy cars

The possibilities are endless! Challenge yourself to come up with new and interesting bin contents. See which ones your child loves and which one he/she doesn’t seem as interested in. Get creative, and most of all, have fun!

Have you made a sensory bin for your child before? Please leave a comment and share your thoughts & ideas!!

Terri
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