Getting started with sensory bins
Whether you’re just getting started with sensory bins or find yourself running out of new ideas for ones, don’t worry – there are plenty of things you can do to get creative! We’ve compiled the ultimate list of 100+ sensory themes to keep your bins full of fresh ideas for every season.
Sensory bins for all seasons
We’ve got tons of ideas from classic favor bags to spooky DIY crafts, printable games, and even fun dollar store finds. Whether you’re planning a costume party for kids, a casual spooky gathering, or a trick-or-treating bonanza, you’re sure to find some fang-tastic favors to fit your frightfully fun celebration!
But first, let’s get into the benefits of sensory bins.
7 Benefits of Sensory Bins
Fine motor skills: Sensory bins can help children develop their fine motor skills, such as the ability to grasp small objects and manipulate them. A bin filled with rice or beans can help children develop their pincer grasp, which is the ability to use their thumb and index finger to pick up small objects.
Hand-eye coordination: Sensory bins can also help children develop their hand-eye coordination, which is the ability to use their hands and eyes together to complete a task. A bin filled with water and toys can help children develop their hand-eye coordination as they try to pick up the toys without dropping them.
Creativity: Sensory bins can encourage children to be creative and express themselves. They can use their imagination to come up with different ways to play with the materials in the bin. A bin filled with sand and water can be used to build sandcastles, make molds, or create rivers and lakes.
Sensory development: Sensory bins can help children explore their senses. A bin filled with different textures, such as smooth, rough, and bumpy, can help children explore their sense of touch.
Problem-solving: Sensory bins can help children develop problem-solving skills. A bin filled with objects of different sizes and shapes can help children learn how to sort and classify objects.
Language development: Sensory bins can help children develop their language skills. For example, as children play with the materials in the bin, they can talk about what they are doing and what they see. This can help them learn new words and how to use them.
Social-emotional development: Sensory bins can help children develop their social-emotional skills. For example, playing with a sensory bin can help children learn to share, take turns, and cooperate with others.
Practical Sensory Bin Tips to Consider
Sensory bins can be a fun and enriching activity for children of all ages. They can be used to support a variety of developmental skills and can help children learn and grow in many ways. Here are some tips for creating a great sensory bin:
- Select materials that are age and developmentally appropriate.
- Make sure the materials are safe to play with and consider possible allergies
- Label the bin with the contents so that you can easily identify what is inside.
- Keep the bin clean and sanitary. Wash materials regularly and replace as needed.
- Choose sensory materials that are safe for children to touch and explore.
- Avoid using materials that could be a choking hazard for younger children.
- Make sure the sensory bin is the right size for the children who will be using it.
- Label the sensory bin with a fun name for the theme or activity.
- Change the sensory materials and toys in the bin regularly to keep it interesting.
- Supervise children closely when they are using sensory bins.
Getting Started with Sensory Bins
While sensory bins can be ever-changing, there are a few common tools you’ll need for most themes:
- A bin or container to hold the sensory materials.
- Sensory materials, such as rice, beans, pasta, shaving cream, sand, water, or playdough.
- Small toys or objects to add to the sensory bin, such as figurines, animals, or cars.
- A variety of tools and utensils, such as spoons, cups, funnels, and tongs, to help children explore the sensory materials.
- A place to clean up the sensory bin, such as a towel or mat.
7 Essential Fillers for Sensory Bins
Sensory bins are a great way for children to explore their senses and learn about the world around them. They can be filled with a variety of materials, from natural objects to kitchen ingredients to craft supplies. Some of the most essential fillers for sensory bins include:
Natural materials: Sand, rocks, leaves, flowers, pinecones, shells, feathers, and other natural materials can be a lot of fun for children to explore.
Kitchen ingredients: Cereal, rice, beans, pasta, flour, and other kitchen ingredients can be used to create sensory bins that are both fun and educational.
Craft supplies: Glitter, beads, sequins, pom-poms, and other craft supplies can be added to sensory bins to add a touch of creativity.
Water: Water can be used to create a variety of sensory bins, such as a water table or a sensory bottle.
Shaving cream: Shaving cream can be used to create a soft and fluffy sensory experience.
Play dough: Play dough is a versatile sensory material that can be used to create a variety of shapes and textures. Check out our fast and easy play dough recipe here!
Slime: Slime is a wonderful sensory tool, usually cool, colorful, and can even contain small decorative pieces to fit a theme. Check out our fast and easy slime recipe here!
Now that you have the essentials down, it’s time to get started on your awesome new sensory bins!
25 Spring Sensory Bin Ideas 🌸
1
Bunny Garden
green shredded paper, plastic Easter eggs, small toy bunnies, and cotton balls for clouds
2
Colorful Flowers
dyed rice, flower petals, and small toy flowers
3
Rainy Day
blue water beads, raindrop-shaped items, and mini umbrellas
4
Sunshine and Butterflies
yellow sand and toy butterflies
5
Bird Nest
brown shredded paper, small toy eggs, and toy birds
6
Ladybug
red and black beans, small toy ladybugs, and green leaves
7
Dandelion
yellow feathers, green shredded paper, and dandelions
8
Flower Garden
different colors of sand, flower petals, and toy flowers
9
Watermelon
red and green shredded paper, toy watermelon slices, and watermelon seeds
10
Ice Cream Sundae
white rice, ice cream cones, sprinkles, and chocolate chips
11
Teddy Bear Picnic
brown rice, teddy bears, and small picnic items
12
Leprechaun Fun
green shredded paper, toy gold coins, rainbow erasers, and a toy leprechaun
13
Earth Day
clean dirt or soil, small toy animals, and plants
14
Flower Pot
soil, small toy flowers, and small gardening tools
15
Rainbow
dyed rice, water beads, and shredded paper in different colors
16
Clouds and Rain
blue water beads, cotton balls for clouds, and small raindrops-shaped items
17
Springtime Hike
dirt, rocks, small toy animals, and toy binoculars
18
Birdwatching
brown shredded paper, small toy birds, and toy binoculars
19
Butterfly Garden
green shredded paper, small toy butterflies, and flowers
20
Springtime Scavenger Hunt
items related to spring, such as flowers, plastic eggs, and butterflies
21
Springtime Sensory Bottle
materials related to spring, such as water beads, glitter, and small toy flowers
22
23
Easter Egg Hunt
dyed green rice, small plastic eggs, small toy baskets, and a spoon for scooping and sorting
24
Bunny Garden
green shredded paper, small toy carrots, and toy bunnies
25
Easter Chicks
dyed yellow rice, small toy chicks, and toy eggs
25 Summer Sensory Bin Ideas ☀️
1
Ocean Explorer
sand, water, seashells, toy boats and plastic sea animals
2
Ice Cream Shop
white rice, ice cream cones, sprinkles, and chocolate chips
3
Pool Party
blue water beads, small plastic pool toys, and water
4
Watermelon
red and green shredded paper, toy watermelon slices, and watermelon seeds
5
Surfboard
blue water beads, small toy surfboards, and toy palm trees
6
Fishing
sand, small toy fish, and toy fishing poles
7
8
Flower Garden
different colors of sand, flower petals, and small toy flowers
9
Sweet Summer
white rice, sprinkles, and chocolate chips
10
Summer Sunrise
yellow rice, small sun-shaped erasers, and toy clouds or cotton balls
11
4th of July
red, white, and blue rice with plastic gems in American flag colors
12
Buried Treasure
acrylic jewels, gold doubloons, toy treasure chest, and small shovels for digging
13
Summer Stargazing
glow-in-the dark stars, toy planets, and moon toys
14
Rainy Day
add a small solar fountain or sprayer to your water table and help some small toy animals enjoy a rainy day
15
Summer Reading
hide small sight word cards in colorful sand to read aloud when uncovered
16
Summer Spaghetti
different types of pasta in a variety of colors with spoons, tongs, and small bowls for scooping and sorting
17
18
Summer Spelling
hide small toys in a sand-filled bin and spell the words for each item found
19
Summer Day Picnic
brown rice, small toy food items, and toy utensils
20
Herb Garden
sprigs of lavender, rosemary, and thyme, with flowers and grass
21
Snail Race
sand and small toy snails
22
Summer Seeds
soil, seeds, and toy gardening tools
23
Scented Sand
mix up a batch of colorful moon sand using food coloring. Add some fun summer scents!
24
Under the Sea
add toy fish, jellyfish, and other ocean animals to a water table for an afternoon of ocean exploration!
25
Seashell Search
bury lots of seashells in a sand-filled sensory bin. Use small shovels and tongs to dig them up
25 Fall Sensory Bin Ideas 🍂
1
Crisp Leaves Crunch
real fallen leaves and tongs for sorting and examining
2
Scented Sensations
various scented items like cinnamon sticks and vanilla beans
3
Fall Harvest
different types of grains, such as corn, wheat, and oats
4
Pumpkin Spice Latte
white rice, small coffee cups, cinnamon sticks, marshmallows, and chocolate chips
5
Apple Picking
brown rice, toy apples, small rakes or shovels, and a bucket
6
Fall Forest
green shredded paper, small toy trees, and fallen leaves
7
Autumn Animals
small toy animals, such as squirrels, deer, and bears, with acorns and leaves
8
Fall Colors
autumn-themed colors of rice, beans, or pasta, with small toy pumpkins, apples, and other fall harvest items
9
Fall Sensory Bottle
different materials related to autumn, such as leaves, acorns, and small plastic animals
10
11
Scented Playdough
dye handmade dough with different autumn colors, such as orange, yellow, and brown. Add fun autumn scents
12
Sensory Walk
Take a walk in a local park or forest to collect leaves, acorns, and other fall materials for sorting through in the sensory bin
13
Fall Sensory Story
This story could be about a squirrel gathering nuts for the winter. Children can act out the story using the materials in their sensory bin
14
Fall Sensory Sorting
sort fallen leaves by color or size, great for fine motor skills
15
Collage Craft
make a leaf collage or a pumpkin painting with sponges and paint.
16
Pumpkin Carving
carved pumpkins, seeds, and spoons for scooping and sorting
17
Spooky Sorting
black beans, small toy spiders, ghosts, bats, and small bowls
18
Witches’ Brew
green rice, small toy bats, frogs, and and toy cauldrons
19
Pumpkin Patch
orange rice, small toy pumpkins, toy rakes and shovels
20
Mummy’s Tomb
white rice, small toy mummies and jewels to discover
21
Vampire Castle
red rice, small toy bats, vampire teeth, and castle accessories
22
Halloween I-Spy
add rice and Halloween items to a plastic jar or bottle, such as small toy spiders, bats, and pumpkins.
23
Halloween Playdough
make and dye handmade dough with different Halloween colors, such as orange, black, and green. Add a spooky scent!
24
Halloween Story
This story could be about a witch or a vampire. Children can act out the story using the materials in their sensory bin.
25
Halloween Sorting
assorted Halloween-themed items by color or size. Children use fine motor skills to sort the items.
25 Winter Sensory Bin Ideas ❄️
1
Snowy Day
white rice, small acrylic snowflakes, and toy snowmen
2
Winter Wonderland
shaving cream, small toy snowmen, and toy winter animals
3
Winter Animals
Freeze a water-filled bin to build a habitat for toy arctic animals to navigate the ice and snow
4
Hot Cocoa Shop
scoop brown rice, marshmallows, sprinkles, and cotton balls as whipped cream puffs into small cups
5
Moon Snow
add glitter and small confetti pieces to a batch of sparkly moon sand
6
Winter Sensory Bottle
add rice and winter items to a plastic jar or bottle, such as small toy snowflakes, candy canes, and winter animals.
7
8
Winter Playdough
make and dye handmade dough with different winter colors and add scents like vanilla, peppermint
9
Winter Walk
white rice, sprinkles, and chocolate chips
10
Winter Story
hide winter-themed toys and small items in a bin of white rice. Each item found becomes a part of an ongoing winter story!
11
Snowball Sorting
add different color pompoms to a sensory bin with small bowls and tongs for sorting
12
Gingerbread Sand
color a batch of moon sand brown and add small pieces of Christmas candy to mix in and mold. Add gingerbread scent!
13
Christmas Tree
green shredded paper, acrylic stars, small plastic ornaments, and mini Christmas tree accessories
14
Stocking Scoop
scoop up small Christmas-themed toys to fill stockings and small gift boxes or bags.
15
Reindeer Ride
brown rice, small toy reindeer, toy carrots, and a small sleigh
16
Winter Snowman
white rice, small toy snowmen, toy carrots, and snowmen accessories
17
Cleanup Crew
use small toy tractors, bulldozers, and other utility vehicles to clean up a bin full of moon snow
18
Pass the Peppermint
use peppermint and other types of winter-themed candy to sort by size, color, and shape into small bowls
19
Christmas Collage
fill a bin with Christmas wrapping paper squares to mix and match, sort, or build a collage
20
Christmas Sleigh Clay
use modeling clay in a sensory bin to craft Christmas-themed items and scenes
21
Christmas Cookies
make a batch of winter-scented dough or moon sand to use with Christmas-themed cookie cutters. Add sprinkles for some color!
22
Gumdrop Grouping
sort colorful gumdrops by color into small bowls with tongs
23
Hearts and Arrows
fill with heart-shaped objects for Valentine’s Day, such as foam hearts, acrylic hearts, or red pom-poms
24
Sweet Treats
small objects that represent sweet treats, such as chocolate chips, M&Ms, or gummy bears. Add small bowls and ice cream cones for a sweet treat shop!
25
Valentine Balloons
fill red and pink balloons with moon sand for a bin full of fun squishy toys.
What did we miss?
Hopefully this list has inspired some fresh ideas for your sensory bins! Feel free to mix and match these themes and even add your own personal touches. Do you have a favorite sensory bin theme? Share your best ideas in the comments below!
Agee & Row 
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