Sensory Bins for All Seasons

By Jenny Negrey, OTR/L

Ideas for Year-Round Fun and Learning 

Sensory bins can provide many benefits to children’s development. Sensory play helps children develop their senses, including touch, sight, and sound, and can improve their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Sensory bins also promote creativity and imagination, as children explore and manipulate different materials. Additionally, sensory play can help children regulate their emotions and reduce stress.  

With a little creativity, you can come up with sensory bin ideas that are perfect for every season and for all ages.  In the spring, for example, you could create a sensory bin filled with dirt, mini flowerpots, scoops for digging, fake flowers/veggies, and toy bugs. In the summer, you could make a beach-themed sensory bin with sand, seashells, and toy sea creatures. In the fall, you could create a sensory bin filled with corn, acorns, and textured mini pumpkins. In the winter, you could create a sensory bin filled with fake snow, pretend ice gems and arctic animals. You can easily create your own sensory bin with the use of a storage container and items purchased from local stores (dollar stores have great deals on these seasonal items) or you can purchase pre-made sensory bin kits online.  Sensory bins will provide hours of screen-free entertainment enriched with sensory development and creative play!