The Beginner’s Guide to Sensory Play Bins

If you don’t know much about sensory bins, this is the perfect place to start!  

 Sensory bins are great tools for your toddler to explore the world with all their senses and learn basic motor skills. It also helps promote scientific thinking as they learn through experimentation. Plus, they’re a lot of fun.  

 To make one, start with a container or bins (shocker!) You’ll want to choose one that’s large enough that nothing will spill out on the floor while they’re playing. 

 The next step is choosing your filler, which are items inside. They can be edible or not. Up to you!  

 For instance, our favorite is colored rice! This is a safe and non-toxic way to brighten up something usually plain white.  Other great sustainable options can be lentils, corn kernels, or oatmeal.  

 Add larger fun things for your toddlers to discover inside, like glass half marbles, carved wooden figurines, our adorable fall themed tree trunk cross sections, or our mini pumpkins! You can also put acorns, pine cones, sea shells, smooth pebbles, and other natural materials. We prefer non plastic and environmentally friendly products only. 

 These are a great idea for any holiday or themed sensory box. A few of our favorite themes are autumn in the forest (think tree branches, our yellow lentils, pinecones, and our tiny wood pumpkins), ocean (we love blue rice, glass half marbles, sea animal figurines, or seashells), and garden (green and yellow rice, flowers/leaves from the backyard, and butterfly shapes pasta).  

 The last step is tools! Think little wooden shovels or small bowls to scoop with. While it’s great for them to use their hands to dig and discover, using tools can improve their muscle development and hand eye coordination. 

 Ready to get started on your own sensory bin? Check out our store for fillers and tools.