There are many sensory bin ideas for bins, but they all involve a container full of toys with different textures, sizes, and colors that kids can play with alone or with friends, siblings, or parents. You can put anything in a bin that fits your child's interests and attitude. Toddlers' interests change quickly, so sensory bins must be easy to change.
Most sensory bin kits can be filled with water, sand, dry rice, beans, popcorn seeds, water beads, and shaving cream. These things are great for sensory bins once babies learn not to eat them. Large, tactile balls, pasta shells, age-appropriate plastic toys, linking rings, and water are safer things to put in a sensory bin for babies.
Why is Visual Sensory Important?
Our ability to see, notice, and make connections with what we see is what the Visual System is all about. But we sometimes need to learn how important our eyes are to how our bodies make us feel controlled and focused.
Our eyes help us understand the world through the visual system. Our bodies take in information about our surroundings, including sensory bin ideas, to figure out if they are safe, dangerous, or something we should pay attention to. It's as easy as putting on the right shirt for the day, finding our pajamas in the drawer, and following the teacher around the room. You need to have a vision to do all these things well daily.
With a well-tuned vision system, we can pay attention to the small details that help us understand our world and surroundings.
Our brains process what we see and the colors, shapes, and sizes around us. It is called "Seeing." All children need to be aware of and get feedback about visual processing for their development to go well. Visual processing makes recognizing letters and numbers possible, seeing in the periphery, understanding spatial relationships, reading, and paying attention to small details.
What are Examples of Visual Stimulation?
With a sensory bin, including sensory bin ideas, there are many ways to get your kids interested and involved. You could also let them play. Let them make things, learn new things, and be kids. In reality, simple is often best, and these easy setups can give kids hours of fun. But when you're ready to try more complicated setups or themed bins, you can look through quite a few of them here on the blog.
Toys in Water
When toddlers see that some things sink and others rise, they will learn about how water works. All you have to do is put the things they already have in the water. You can make this bin look even better by putting in water bottles or bright water beads.
Rice Sensory Bin
Rice is one of the best things to put in a sensory bin because it doesn't cost much. You can buy it in big bags, so you can make a sensory bin big enough for more than one child to play in at once. Not only that, but you can add almost anything and change it up often.
Animal Sensory Bin
Make animal mazes with these farm gates. The picture's bottom left corner shows craft sticks used as a pig pen. For this idea, have your child help you paint the craft sticks before they gather colored rocks.
Sand Foam Sensory Bin
Sand foam is easy to make and has a really fun feel to play with. Add a few construction cars or a small set of sand tools, and watch how much fun your little one can have.
Slime Sensory Bin
This fun snake swamp is a great way to have fun and get dirty. The kids will have fun playing in this slime-made pond with snakes. It is a great project to do outside.
How Do You Set Up a Sensory Bin?
The best part about being able to make sensory bins for your child is getting to use sensory bin ideas with your child. Make sure to put your hands in all of those great stimulating bins. Your child will learn the most from you. Play, look around, and learn with them.
Select an Excellent Container
We have a few choices that vary in size and shape, and we've liked them all. A bigger sensory bin is great because it lets kids put their hands right into the filler without making too much mess. If you have more than one child playing in the same sensory bin, give each child a 12" square spot so they have enough room to play together or next to each other.
Find a Sensory Bin Filler
You need sensory bin fillers to make your sensory bins. When you make a sensory bin, fill it with things that are right for the child's age and the amount of care they will have while playing with the bin. Remember that it's easy to dye sensory bin fillers if you want to add a certain theme.
Include Interesting Tools
One of the best things about sensory bins for toddlers is that they can be filled, dumped, poured, and moved around. What a great way to play with your hands and work on important skills at the same time. Sensory bins can help kids improve their small motor skills with the right tools. When making sensory bins for toddlers, check the dollar store, the trash bin, and the kitchen drawers for easy things to add.
Include a Theme
If you want your sensory bin to have a certain theme, fill it with colors and items that go with that theme. Remember to show them how to pour things into the bin, fix the uh-ohs, and play nicely with the toys.
Final Thoughts
Sensory bins are a great way to help kids with special needs play with other kids. These sensory bin ideas activities involving many senses have many benefits that go beyond barriers and create a place where every child can grow. Sensory bins also give kids a lot to do with their senses and can be made to fit each child's wants and preferences.
Inclusive play aims to make every kid feel like they belong and are important, not just to have fun. Sensory bins help kids learn, make friends, and, most importantly, have fun while playing. Looming Learning is committed to making sure that all children can learn and play together.
