Young children learn through play. Here are a few sensory bin play ideas that will encourage young children to explore, problem-solve, and create, all while engaging with different textures. Sensory input drives motor skill development, therefore, early and often participation in multisensory learning experiences is key for development.
Always supervise children during play activities, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on products when indicated.
Rice Bin with Scoops and Funnels: Includes colored rice and tools like scoops, funnels, and small cups. This helps with hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. (Note for coloring rice: you can soak rice in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and food coloring overnight for the rice to absorb the color and the rice “seals” the rice so it lasts longer and stays cleaner. After soaking the rice overnight, pour out the rice from the bowl on a flat cookie sheet and allow to dry thoroughly before storing in a container.
Dry Bean Play Bin: Fill a play bin with dry beans and add different tools (e.g. scoops, cars, animals), follow the child’s lead.
(Kinetic) Sand Bin with Hidden Objects: A bin filled with kinetic sand or regular sand that has hidden objects, encouraging tactile discrimination and fine motor skills through digging and exploring.
Shredded Paper Bin with Letter Search: This sensory bin uses shredded paper with hidden alphabet letters or numbers, helping to develop sensory processing and early literacy/numeracy skills.
Pro Tip: Have the children help with tearing or shredding the paper, this is a great way to occupy their time and provides fine motor skill development (e.g. hand strength, bilateral coordination).
Nature Bin: Incorporates leaves, sticks, pinecones, and stones for a natural sensory experience, promoting texture exploration and connection with nature.
Pro Tip: Have a piece of butcher paper or cardboard next to the bin either on the floor or hung up on the wall or easel. Have glue handy so children can pick items from the bin to glue on the paper and create a “nature collage”.
Pom-Pom Bin with Tweezers: Features various sizes of soft pom-poms and tweezers to practice fine motor control, particularly pincer grasp development.
Soap Foam/Shaving Cream Bin: Filled with soap foam or shaving cream for children to scoop, squish, and mold, enhancing tactile sensory play and improving hand strength.
Caution: Do not do this activity with children who put dangerous items in their mouth.
Dry Pasta and Scoop Bin: Different shapes and sizes of dry pasta along with scoops and containers to encourage manipulation, hand strength, and fine motor skills.
Cotton Ball and Clothespin Bin: Using cotton balls and clothespins to enhance grip strength and fine motor coordination.
Water Bin with Floating Toys: Includes water, small floating toys, and scoops to develop motor planning and coordination during play.
Where to pick-up these supplies? My favorites are checking at a local second-hand store, Amazon, “Buy Nothing” groups, or Facebook marketplace to name a few.
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Embody Occupational Therapy 