Let’s make a flower sensory bin

A sensory bin is a bin or container full of items selected to stimulate the senses!  This bin invites imaginative play, use of minor motor skills, and rich sensory experiences for young children. This colorful sensory bin is inspired by flowers and is a fun way to play with and explore colors!

Materials: 

• Bin 
• Potting soil 
• Real or fake flowers – a variety of colors and sizes!
• Real or fake leaves/ plants
• Small plastic plant pots (Did you buy plants? This is a great way to reuse those plastic pots!)
• Additional toys
• Spoons or cups for scooping

A Sensory Bin Guide for Grown Ups

A little on how and why: Especially, if this type of play is new to your child, be sure to set the expectations ahead of time (“A grown-up has to take the bin down” and “All the items have to stay together”). Provide some encouragement and guidance as needed. Invite your child to sort the objects (this is a great way to name and explore colors), suggest scooping and pouring (excellent for minor motor skills), and encourage pretend (let your child lead the way)! 

Remember, many bins have small items which could be a choking hazard for young children.

On sustainability: There are lots ways to make your bin a bit more gentle on the earth! 

• Think about storage so the bin can be used over and over. Play with and store items in the same container (just be sure you have a tight fitting lid)! Or, if that’s too bulky, store the cleaned materials separately in smaller bins or zip top bags for reuse.

• Use natural items. Make the base natural and biodegradable. We love rice, beans, soil or sand, and strips of crimped paper as a base material. Add other natural objects with different textures and sizes like pinecones, wooden blocks, rocks, or sticks. 

• Reuse. Yes, those bins with perfectly themed toys on Pinterest are sooo cute but, don’t worry, the toys, spoons, containers and objects you already have are perfect for this project!