How To Set Up a Sensory Bin
Sensory bins are all the rage these days since they provide a fun and interactive way for children to explore their senses and learn about the world around them. Not only can sensory bins hold the attention of our little ones for hours, but they can also assist in the development of fine motor skills, language development, problem-solving skills, and self-regulation. So let’s dive right into the world of sensory bins and talk about some ideas for creating sensory bins that are engaging and educational for your little ones:
If this is your first time making a sensory bin, then you may want to read this post first: Why Preschoolers Should Use Sensory Bins
Let’s Set Up a Sensory Bin
The first thing you will need to do to set up a sensory bin is to grab your favorite bin. We love to use Large Sterilite Bins since they come with a lid and can be easily stored and stacked together.
Now that you have a bin in hand, you will want to fill it with a sensory bin filler. The sky really is the limit when creating a sensory bin, so here are a few of our favorite sensory bin fillers:
- colored rice
- beans
- sand
- water beads
- rolled oats
- crinkled paper
- colored pasta
- sprinkles
- cotton balls
- pom pom balls
- barley
Make It Interactive!
Once your bin is filled with your favorite filler, you will add some tools to create a fun learning experience for your little ones! Here are a few things you may already have on hand:
- plastic tweezers
- scoops
- spoons
- whisks
- bowls
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- spatulas
Set the Stage for Success
Not only are sensory bins an excellent way to fill your child’s day with hands-on play activities that manipulate the fillers with a variety of tools, they are also a great way to introduce preschoolers to academic concepts. Here are some academic activities you can put in a sensory bin for preschoolers:
- Alphabet recognition: Fill the sensory bin with small letter cards. Your child can dig through the bin to find the cards and say the name of each letter. You can also include uppercase and lowercase letters to practice matching the letters on the table beside the bin.
- Number recognition: Fill the sensory bin with number cards and practice saying the name of each number. You can also add small objects such as counting bears or foam numbers to practice counting and matching the objects to the corresponding number card.
- Shape and color recognition: Fill the sensory bin with small objects such as foam shapes or colored pom poms. Your child can sort the objects by shape or color, or even match them to a corresponding card that shows the object.
- Fine motor skills: Fill the sensory bin with small objects such as beads, buttons, or small toys. Your child can use tweezers or tongs to pick up the objects, which helps to develop their fine motor skills.
- Tell a Story: Fill the sensory bin with small objects that represent characters or objects from a story. Your child can use the objects to retell the story or create their own version, which helps to develop their language and storytelling skills.
Now Let’s Play!
I hope you are feeling inspired to put together a sensory bin for your little ones! I would love to see what you create! Just tag me @theprimarybrain on Instagram so I can see all the fun you are having in your home or classroom. If you are looking for some ready made printable items to place in your sensory bins, you can check out my Toddler School Curriculum for 26 units that will take you and your child on a journey from A to Z.
Plan Sensory Bins for Toddlers
If you want to learn more about how to get started planning activities for your little ones, download my FREE guide for everything you need to know about planning sensory bins and the skill areas we incorporate into toddler school:
This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my affiliate links, which helps to support The Primary Brain blog. As always, I only recommend products that I love and all ideas shared are my own.
Written on March 31st, 2023 by Laurin Brainard