Sensory/Activity bins are one of our favorite things! To be honest I am not even 100% sure these are sensory bins but that is what we call them. These are typically geared towards toddlers and early elementary age students. However, in my house they are used by all my children. Even my 15 year old enjoys playing it with one for a little while. There is something fun about having themed activities that engages multiple senses at one time. I like to have 2 bins in rotation at all times. That way I can rotate them to keep it fresh and exciting. We change them out monthly. Most of the time you can use things you already own to create a sensory bin.
Supplies Needed:
Bin or Container – I like to use clear sweater or shoe box containers with lids.
Filler or some Play-Doh or clay in containers. Some popular options are rice, water beads, water, sand, beans, cereal, marbles, shredded paper, popcorn kernels, pasta, Easter grass, and birdseeds.
Tools – Small shovel, spoon, tongs, measuring cups, cookie cutters, and/or small rake.
Objects – This is where the theming comes into play. Pick small objects that go along with the theme. For seasonal or holidays themes party favors and fillers work great.
For this bin, I created a Halloween themed sensory bin using things we already had for the most part. I did buy the eyeballs, and spiders. They where really cheap. You can find cheap party favors here. Instead of using filler I used Play-Doh. It still needs orange Play-Doh. My plan is to make it. I just haven’t gotten to it yet. I added eyeballs, spiders, Nightmare Before Christmas toys, and cookie cutters. I like to divide out all the little things into separate containers just because it looks neater. Honestly there is no need. You can just add it all into one bin and call it a day!