Sensory Bin Supplies: What You Need To Have

Discover the essential sensory bin supplies to have on hand, making it easy to set-up multiple different sensory bins in seconds!

Sensory bins are an incredible tool for children of all ages, offering endless opportunities for fun, exploration, and learning with minimal effort.

With the right sensory bin supplies on hand, setting up a sensory bin takes just seconds and can provide 15 minutes to an hour of independent play for your child—a true lifesaver when you need a moment to yourself!

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about creating sensory bins, from the essential components to the many engaging activities you can enjoy with them.

What Are Sensory Bins?

A sensory bin is a container filled with materials specifically chosen to stimulate your child’s senses, offering a rich environment for them to explore textures, sounds, and even smells.

Sensory bins are not just about fun; they play a crucial role in your child’s development. By digging, scooping, pouring, and feeling the different materials, your child hones fine motor skills, enhances problem-solving abilities, and learns emotional regulation.

The unstructured nature of sensory bins allows children to use their imagination, fostering creativity and independent play. At their core, sensory bins consist of three main components: the bin, the bases (fillers), and the tools.

Related: Why Sensory Play Is Important For Child Development

Sensory Bin Supplies: The Bin

The first thing you need is the container—the “bin” that holds everything together.

Another great feature of these bins is their versatility; when playtime is over, the same bin can be used to store all your sensory bin supplies, keeping everything organized and ready for the next play session. This makes setting up future activities a breeze—just grab the bin, choose a base and some tools, and you’re good to go!

Sensory Bins and Tables

Sensory Bins: A medium-sized bin is perfect for creating sensory bins. Look for one with high sides to keep the materials contained, minimizing mess and clearly defining the play area.

Sensory Table: If you have more than one child, a sensory table is a fantastic option for group play, offering plenty of space for everyone to join in the fun.

Sensory Bin Supplies: Bases (Fillers)

The base of a sensory bin is the material that fills the container and provides the primary sensory experience for your child. This is where you can get creative!

The base can be anything from dry rice to kinetic sand, depending on what you want your child to explore. The best part? These materials can be reused multiple times, making them both cost-effective and convenient.

Fillers

Kinetic Sand: Kinetic sand is like magic in your hands—easy to mold, never dries out, and perfect for hours of squishing, shaping, and digging fun!

Playdough: Playdough is a classic for a reason! It’s super versatile, easy to mold into anything your child can imagine, and great for building those little hand muscles.

Dry Rainbow Colored Rice: Rainbow-colored rice is like a party in a bin! It’s bright, fun to run your fingers through, and perfect for sorting, scooping, or just enjoying the vibrant colors. Plus, you can make your own colored rice at home for a fun DIY project.

Dried Beans: Dried beans are a bit larger and heavier than rice, providing a satisfying sensory experience. They’re great for scooping, pouring, and burying treasures, plus they make the most satisfying sound when they hit the bin.

Pom-Poms: Soft and fluffy, pom-poms add a pop of color and texture to your sensory bin. Kids love picking them up with tongs or burying their hands in the fuzzy fun!

Dry Colored Pasta: Dry colored pasta is a crunchy, colorful addition to any sensory bin. It’s great for threading, scooping, or just marveling at all the fun shapes.

Water: Water is the ultimate sensory bin filler! It’s simple, versatile, and perfect for splashing, pouring, and exploring endless watery adventures.

Shaving Cream: Shaving cream is a sensory dream! It’s fluffy, squishy, and perfect for finger painting, making shapes, or just diving into a mountain of foamy fun.

Bubble Foam: Bubble foam is like a bubbly cloud in a bin! It’s super fun to squish and swirl, plus it’s a blast to make and play with all those frothy bubbles.

Sensory Bin Supplies: Tools

Once you’ve chosen your base, it’s time to add tools that will enhance the play experience. The right tools not only make sensory play more engaging but also help children develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving abilities.

These tools can be simple household items or specific toys that complement the sensory experience.

Tools

Scoops: Scoops are a must-have for sensory bins—they’re perfect for little hands to dig in and move materials around, making every scoop a mini adventure.

Tweezers or Tongs: Tweezers and tongs are awesome for fine motor practice! Kids love picking up small items and it turns every sensory bin into a fun challenge.

Bowls or Silicone Cupcake Containers: Bowls or silicone cupcake containers are super handy for sorting and collecting treasures found in the bin, plus they’re great for practicing pouring and filling.

Funnels: Funnels add a whole new level of fun to sensory play! Watching materials flow through them is mesmerizing, and they’re great for practicing precision pouring.

Small Construction Trucks: Little construction trucks bring the sensory bin to life! Kids can scoop, dump, and push their way through all sorts of imaginative play.

Sorting Toys: Sorting toys turn sensory bins into a learning game, helping kids categorize and organize while having a blast with colors, shapes, or sizes.

Easy Sensory Bin Ideas to Get You Started

Putting together a sensory bin is a fun and simple way to keep your kids entertained and engaged. Plus, it’s a great way to sneak in some learning through play.

1. Ocean Themed Sensory Bin: This bin is an ocean adventure in a box! The slimy kinetic sand base feels like wet beach sand, perfect for squishing, building sandcastles, and letting sea creatures swim through. Kids will love the endless fun of pretending to dive for treasure or creating their own underwater world.

2. Space Themed Sensory Bin: Blast off into space! The dried black beans base make it feel like you’re exploring the galaxy, with rockets zooming through and stars to discover. Kids can dig, scoop, and create their own cosmic adventures, making this bin a total hit for little astronauts.

3. Shaving Cream and LEGO Sensory Bin: This is the ultimate messy fun! Kids will love sinking their hands into the soft, foamy shaving cream while building wild LEGO towers and structures. It’s a fun mix of messy and creative play that will keep them giggling and experimenting for hours.

4. Dinosaur Themed Sensory Bin: Get ready for a dino dig! Kids can have a blast burying and unearthing dinosaurs in the moldable kinetic sand base, making their own fossil footprints, and creating epic dinosaur battles. It’s a mini Jurassic adventure right at home, full of imagination and fun.

5. Mermaid Themed Sensory Bin: Dive into a magical mermaid world! The soft, squishy playdoh base is perfect for shaping underwater castles, treasure mounds, and sparkly mermaid tails. Kids will have endless fun sculpting their own mermaid kingdom, letting their imaginations run wild.

Final Thoughts

With these sensory bin supplies in place, you’re all set to provide your child with endless opportunities for engaging, independent play. Whether you’re a sensory bin newbie or a seasoned pro, having a well-stocked kit ready to go will make sensory play a seamless and enjoyable part of your child’s daily routine.

Feel free to ask if you need more tips or ideas for your sensory play adventures!

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• Why Sensory Play Is Important For Child Development
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