5 Sensory Bin Ideas

5 Sensory Bins you can make with items found in your own home. Sensory Bins are a great activity for toddlers and younger children. It keeps them occupied for long stretches of time, incorporates multiple senses and helps them learn and practice fine motor skills and many physical concepts.

Farming Sensory Bin

I’m quite biased with this sensory bin since I grew up on a farm, but this one is definitely one of my favourites. It is super simple to make as all you need is play animals, maybe a few popsicle sticks for a fence, popcorn kernels or rice for feed, and a few housing areas (your recycling bin is a gold mine for ‘farm buildings’).

Vegetable Garden Sensory Bin

Another great sensory bin. This one includes using coffee beans for the ‘soil,’ but since it is also gardening season why not use actual soil? Another item needed is play food, but if you have extra carrots, broccoli stems, or a few stems of asparagus you don’t mind not using, this is a great opportunity to let the children explore the food that goes into their body.

Beach Sensory Bin

Some of the most entertaining sensory bins are the easiest to make. This simple sensory bin is made from sand, shells (or stones), an object to scoop (if you don’t have a play shovel a measuring cup works fairly well), and a pail (or a bowl of some sort). The act of scooping and dumping never seems to get boring for young children.

Ocean Sensory Bin

This fun sensory bin only includes blue food colouring, shaving cream (or whip cream if your child likes to put things in his/her mouth), and ocean animals (or you could put a boat or two in there).

Car Wash Sensory Bin

This sensory bin allows your toddler to explore the difference between clean and dirty. Supplies needed includes toy cars (or really anything, toy animals would work as well), dirt or mud, a sponge or some type of scrubby brush, and a bucket full of soapy water.