Put a Little Brr in Your Sensory Bins
Benefits of Sensory Play
Improves fine motor skills
As kids dig around a sensory bin, they’re working all the small muscles in their hands that are essential to using a spoon, holding a toothbrush or, one day, writing. Be sure to include different-sized filler materials so kids can use their pincer grasp too. Try providing scoops, spoons, and tongs for an even better fine-motor workout!
Calming experience
Sensory bins are a good activity to soothe an overstimulated child. Parents may even want to join them to feel a bit more zen.
Language development
While kids explore their sensory bin, try narrating the activity for younger children and asking questions to older ones. Bins offer lots of opportunities to get kids thinking. Try asking them questions like, “Is there more rice than beans in the bin?” Or “What will happen if you pour salt into the water?” Question and response interactions help promote language development!
Sensory exploration
Sensory bins are, well, sensory! Kids get to explore their senses of touch, sight, sound, and maybe even smell! All ages can enjoy the tactile sensations of running their fingers through sand or seeing how a scoop of rice or water pours differently.
Wild & Wintery Sensory Bins
Make Your Own
Sensory Bin Filler Ideas:
- Small pasta shapes
- Rice
- Dry beans
- Mini Pom-poms
- Water
- Kinetic sand
- Cotton balls
- Popcorn
Try These Polar Possibilities:
- Freeze miniature animals from Terra tubes in an ice cube tray for frozen friends!
- Is it cold outside? Bring in some real snow and watch it melt for a transforming sensory experience!
- Add our Penguin pair or Polar Bear family for an authentically polar population!
