Sensory bins are a simple way to encourage your child to explore the world through their senses. It combines colors with textures in a ready-made play bin for those moments when you need your toddler to be occupied while you tend to other needs in the house. That’s right, a good sensory bin makes life easier and prevents bigger messes.
“Sensory bins allow children to calm and reset by taking in information from their senses," family therapist Stacy Haynes of Little Hands Services told Mom.com. "We consider mindfulness to be an effective strategy for adults and children alike. Teachers and parents can use these to help children to regulate themselves and to refocus when they are struggling to focus.”
Sensory bin ideas: Suggested themes, items you might want to include
Follow safety precautions when doing sensory play
Use sensory bins at any time to help your child learn more about the world around them, but they are especially useful when you need thirty minutes to do something or want to redirect a child who is having trouble dealing with a particular situation.
Remember to think about safety:
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Items in the sensory bin should always be age-appropriate for your child. You’ll want to avoid items that are choking hazards. If your child does have a sensory bin with items that are in question, he should always be supervised while playing with it.
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Check items such as shells, pasta, beans, and marbles that may be used in a sensory bin. These, along with plastic toys or animals could be dangerous. Always use precaution.
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Make sure the items that you use are safe for children to handle. Remember that your child may put items in their mouth so using non-toxic items is critical. In fact, when possible, use natural items rather than plastics or factory-made things.
A popular item for sensory bins is homemade playdough. Mom of three Jenny Pierce shared shared this hack for homemade playdough. “I use Kool-Aid to color the playdough. It’s so easy and it gives it a nice smell that the kids love,” she told Mom.com. A simple homemade playdough recipe mixes one cup flour, ¼ cup salt, ¾ cup water, one tablespoon cooking oil, and 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Mix thoroughly and add either food coloring or Kool-Aid to color for simple homemade playdough.
