Sensory Bins: Everything You Need to Know (2024)

If you’re new to the world of sensory play, you’re in for a treat. Our kids love sensory bins! Sensory bins are a fantastic way to engage children’s senses and promote their cognitive, motor, and emotional development.

We’ll dive into the key things you need to know about sensory bins and show you our absolute favorites.

What are Sensory Bins?

Sensory bins are containers filled with materials that provide sensory stimulation for children. They usually consist of a base material, such as rice, sand, or water. Then various objects or tools for children to explore, manipulate, and play with are added on top of that.

The container should be big enough that your kids don’t spill the base outside of it!

Sensory bins come in a wide range of themes and variations, from nature-inspired bins with leaves and flowers to ocean-themed bins with shells and sea creatures. They are a versatile and engaging tool that can be used to support children’s learning and development.

Why Are Sensory Bins Beneficial?

Sensory bins offer numerous benefits for children’s development. Here are some of the key reasons:

  1. Sensory Stimulation: They provide opportunities for children to engage their senses, including touch, sight, sound, smell in a controlled and playful setting. This sensory stimulation helps children develop their sensory processing skills, which are essential for their overall sensory integration and cognitive development.
  2. Fine Motor Development: Sensory bins encourage children to use their hands and fingers to manipulate and explore the materials, promoting the development of fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and finger strength. For example, scooping, pouring, pinching, and grasping small objects in a sensory bin can help develop their fine motor skills and dexterity.
  3. Cognitive Development: They also provide opportunities for children to engage in open-ended play, where they can use their imagination, creativity, and problem-solving skills to explore and manipulate the materials. This type of play promotes cognitive skills, such as critical thinking, decision-making, and planning.
  4. Emotional Development: Sensory play can also have a positive impact on children’s emotional development. Engaging in sensory play can help children regulate their emotions, manage stress, and express their feelings in a supportive environment. Sensory bins can also be used as a calming and soothing activity for children who may need sensory input for self-regulation.

How to Create a Sensory Bin

Creating a sensory bin is easy and fun! Here are the steps to make your own sensory bin:

  1. Choose a Base Material: Start by selecting a base material for your sensory bin. This can be anything that provides sensory stimulation, such as rice, sand, water, or even cooked pasta. Consider the age and developmental level of the children who will be using the sensory bin when choosing the material.
  2. Select Objects and Tools: Next, gather objects and tools that are related to the theme or concept you want to focus on in your sensory bin. For example, if you’re creating a farm-themed sensory bin, you might include toy animals and farm equipment. You can also add natural materials, such as leaves or twigs, to enhance the sensory experience.
  3. Add Texture and Sensory Elements: Consider adding texture and sensory elements to the base material to further engage children’s senses. For example, you can dye the rice with food coloring to make it visually appealing, or add scented materials, to provide olfactory stimulation. You can also add items with different textures, such as soft fabric or rough sandpaper, to add tactile variety to the sensory bin.
  4. Arrange and Organize: Once you have gathered all the materials, arrange them in the sensory bin in an organized and visually appealing way. Consider the layout and accessibility of the items, and ensure that they are safe and age-appropriate for the children using the sensory bin.
  5. Introduce and Explore: Invite children to explore the sensory bin and engage their senses. Encourage them to use their hands, fingers, and tools to manipulate and explore the materials. Observe and support their play, and encourage open-ended exploration and imaginative play.

Helpful Tips

Here are some tips to help you make the most out of your sensory bins and create a rich and engaging sensory play experience for children:

  1. Supervision and Safety: Always supervise children while they are playing with sensory bins to ensure their safety. Be mindful of small objects or materials that may pose a choking hazard, and ensure that the sensory bin is set up in a safe and age-appropriate environment.
  2. Open-Ended Play: Encourage open-ended play in sensory bins, where children can use their imagination and creativity to explore and manipulate the materials.
  3. Language Enrichment: Use theses as opportunities for language enrichment by engaging in conversations, asking open-ended questions, and introducing new vocabulary related to the sensory materials and themes. This can support children’s speech and language development and promote their communication skills.
  4. Variety and Rotation: Keep the sensory play fresh and engaging by rotating the materials, objects, and themes in the sensory bin regularly. This can help sustain children’s interest and curiosity, and encourage them to explore new textures, colors, and concepts.
  5. Incorporate Learning Goals: Consider incorporating specific learning goals or concepts into your sensory bins to align with educational objectives. For example, you can create sensory bins that focus on counting, sorting, or letter recognition to support early literacy and numeracy skills.

Favorite Sensory Bins

Alphabet Ocean Sensory Bin – Fun Learning for Kids

Sand and Water Ocean Sensory Bin – Fun Learning for Kids

Spring Bug Sensory Bin for Kids – Happy Toddler Playtime

Sand Sensory Bin – Little Bins for Little Hands

Rainbow Chickpeas – And Next Comes L

Reading Sensory Bin – I Can Teach My Child

Bugs Sensory Bin – Fun With Mama

Construction Site Sensory Bin – Busy Toddler

Coffee Beans “Space” Sensory Bin – I Heart Crafty Things

Butterfly Life Cycle Sensory Bin – Pre-K Pages

Rainbow Rice Sensory Bin – Messy Little Monster

Planting Flowers Sensory Bin – Frugal Fun 4 Boys

Arctic Sensory Bin for Winter – Fun Learning for Kids

Sensory bins are a fantastic tool for promoting children’s sensory, motor, cognitive, language, and emotional development.

By providing opportunities for open-ended play and sensory exploration, sensory bins can engage children’s senses, foster their creativity and imagination, and support their overall learning and development. Get started with creating your own sensory bins and watch your little ones delight in the world of sensory play!

Sensory Bins: Everything You Need to Know (2024)

FAQs

How often should I change my sensory bin? ›

Depending on how often your sensory bin gets used, we recommend cleaning your sensory bin at home about every 3 weeks. Food items like rice and beans should be thrown away and replaced.

What are the learning outcomes of sensory bins? ›

Learning through sensory play is descriptive and provides many opportunities for children to learn new concepts and vocabulary words in a hands-on way. For example, sensory bin activities can help teach concepts like “empty and full”, “up and down”, “sort and pour”, or “above and below”.

What are the expectations of a sensory bin? ›

A sensory bin allows babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and beyond to experience open-ended play. The idea behind the open-ended play is that there are no set expectations. Unlike art time or writing practice, there isn't a goal you're trying to achieve. Kids are allowed to just play.

How to make sensory bins less messy? ›

The basics of using a sensory bin

I always like to set down a vinyl tablecloth first and then set the plastic bin on top. It helps contain any mess that might spill out. You could also do sensory play outside if you are worried about a mess.

Do sensory issues get worse? ›

Can it become worse as one ages? SPD becomes worse with injuries and when with normal aging as the body begins to become less efficient. So, if you always had balance problems and were clumsy, this can become more of a problem in your senior years.

Are sensory bins worth it? ›

Sensory bins are a great way to allow children to explore multiple senses at the same time in a fun way. This includes touch, smell, sight, and even sound. Learning to engage with and stimulate several senses at once in a healthy way is incredibly beneficial and loads of fun!

What age are sensory bins good for? ›

At the toddler stage, from ages 2 to 3, kids are typically ready to engage with more toys. A great place to start are sensory bins—literally, a bin or box filled with various materials meant to stimulate the senses.

What is the point of sensory bins? ›

Sensory bins provide children with the opportunity to explore and learn through hands-on tactile play that engages their senses. These bins encourage and support various types of development and are great activities to have in your home. Sensory bins can be themed for holidays, seasons and academic skills.

What are the rules for the sensory bins? ›

Use visual supports to help your learners remember the rules for the sensory bins (use hands only, put on lid when finished, complete seek and find, raise hand if you need help, keep the materials in the box.) Use a visual timer to help your students transition when the time comes.

How deep should a sensory bin be? ›

If the child can play with a bin while seated on the floor, the depth might not be a big issue. But, if the child is sitting on an adapted chair at a table, be sure not to select a container that is too deep. Ideally, sensory bins should be wide and shallow.

Are sensory bins messy? ›

Sensory bins can be messy…but they don't have to be! We like to throw down a mat underneath for easy cleanup. You can also use a shower curtain, sheet, flattened cardboard box, rug, etc. to keep the filler material off your floors.

What is the learning objective of the sensory bin? ›

Sensory bins provide opportunities for your child to explore multiple senses, including sight, sound, touch, and smell. They'll enjoy running their hands through the filler material and watching what happens as they pour it out. Many materials you can put in a sensory bin provide a wonderful tactile sensation.

What are sensory requirements? ›

Sensory needs, which can be hearing loss and/or visual impairment or sensory processing difficulties and physical difficulties, can occur for a variety of reasons, e.g. congenital conditions (some progressive), injury or disease.

How do you organize sensory bin items? ›

You can then purchase smaller-sized zipper pouches to store mini items and printables for the bin. Having labels to put on the pouches will also help you identify the materials you want to use. Then, you can sort your sensory bin bags into categories for when you typically use them throughout the school year.

How long should sensory circuits last? ›

A Sensory Circuit is a short plan of physical activities that enables children to achieve an optimal level of alertness. It lasts 10-15 minutes and consists of 3 sections: Alerting Activities, Organising Activities and Calming Activities.

How long should you do baby sensory for? ›

All babies can benefit from early sensory stimulation and each activity has been researched and developed to be appropriate for newborns through to 13 months.

How do you keep a sensory bin clean? ›

Very fine fillers like rice and sand can scatter everywhere as do dry beans, but little kids fingers can easily pick up dry beans over tiny rice pieces. A mini dust pan and brush are a must have item to pair with your sensory bin, and there's not time like a spill to show your kids how to use one!

Can sensory issues get better with age? ›

Sometimes they resolve on their own, but even when they're severe and continue for many years, sensory processing issues do improve. Often, this improvement can be enhanced by skills learned in occupational therapy or by providing the child with environmental accommodations.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Madonna Wisozk

Last Updated:

Views: 5535

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (68 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Madonna Wisozk

Birthday: 2001-02-23

Address: 656 Gerhold Summit, Sidneyberg, FL 78179-2512

Phone: +6742282696652

Job: Customer Banking Liaison

Hobby: Flower arranging, Yo-yoing, Tai chi, Rowing, Macrame, Urban exploration, Knife making

Introduction: My name is Madonna Wisozk, I am a attractive, healthy, thoughtful, faithful, open, vivacious, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.