Plastic bin with lid
This helps keep the contents inside and allows for easy clean-up and storage between uses.
Space-Themed Box
Complete with various tools for digging and exploring, different objects to manipulate and items are various textures.
Rock fill
A small amount of rocks (reminds me of fish tank rocks) for fill. You don’t want too many as that will increase the chances of a mess, but just enough to allow for play and exploring.
Sensory bins aren’t a new concept but have recently gained popularity. These bins are great for children of all ages to learn and explore with their hands and various other items in the bin. Depending on the items, children can engage multiple senses, enhance their motor skills, and regulate their emotions. When I went back to the office this year, I made sure to have a sensory bin at the ready. I have to admit… it has been a hit with my littles and even some of the older ones too! Although you can buy a premade sensory bin (this is what I did), they are actually fairly easy to make and just require some creativity. Depending on what you have around your house, you might not even need to purchase anything. Here are the main parts of a sensory bin.
Container
You want to get a container or something to hold your sensory bin items in place. I would also recommend a container with a lid for easy storage. The deeper the bin the better, in my opinion, as it prevents the contents from spilling out!
Examples: aluminum baking dishes, storage bins, and shoe boxes.
Theme
Figure out if you want a theme in your sensory bin. This will help you figure out what items to include in the bin and the direction you want to go. Think of something generic, fun, or calming for a bin used in a classroom or something unique to the specific child you are making the bin for.
Examples: space, dinosaurs, the beach, ocean/water, farm, construction site, animals/zoo
Fill
Figure out what you want the main fill to be in your bin.
Examples: sand, uncooked rice, uncooked beans, marbles, stones, water beads, shredded paper, fake snow
Play items
Find items to place in your sensory bin that can be used to play with or hide. Try to find items of various textures and don’t forget items to help the child explore!
Examples: figurines, shovels, toy trucks/cars, plastic scoops or tongs, beads, legos, buttons, mismatched game pieces, small dolls, small animals
Storage and Placement
Figure out where you are going to store the bin both during and after use. For bins that involve sand, I would recommend having a tablecloth or something underneath the bin during play and a secure lid when it’s not in use. Depending on the age of your child and the contents of the bin, consider placing the bin in an area the child can easily get to without necessarily needing to ask or wait for assistance.
The cool part about sensory bins is that the sky’s the limit with them. You really can’t go wrong and they are such a great tool to have around for kids. The bin I have in my office had a pre-determined theme and everything included when I purchased it. This would be a great activity to do together with your class or child, or a rainy/snowy day activity to get the kids moving, thinking, and away from screens!
Nikki Lacherza-Drew
Dr. Nikki, psychology, psychologist, mental health, mental health awareness, it's ok to not be ok, reduce the stigma, NJ, NY, FL, VT, therapy, therapist, children, child, kids, play, play therapy, sensory, sensory bins, explore, grow, creative, be creative, creativity, exploration, growth, development, curious, toys
