Sensory bins can be great fun for kids of all ages. Though normally used for Preschoolers and kids with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), the bins are a big hit with all of my kids. Four of my kids have SPD so I make them every week, but they can get expensive. Yesterday, I visited the dollar store and picked up these items:
feather boa, cork coasters, brightly coloured scouring pads, sponges, non-slip pads, sandpaper, squishy balls, textured ball, netting, coloured corrugated cardboard
I paired those items up with things from around the house such as a beaded necklace, tin foil, bubble wrap, cotton balls, buttons, screws, rocks, beads, plastic leaves, dry pasta, sequins, velcro, and a few toys to make a sensory bin.
The bin ended up costing about $11 to make and most of the items can be re-purposed or re-used in future sensory bins.
You can find other great sensory bin ideas in my book and by following my Sensory Bins board on Pinterest.
Crisc says
August 21, 2011 at 2:03 amThanks for stopping by. I love the Dollar Store, so many good deals =)
Kasondra says
August 21, 2011 at 1:09 pmMy son was recently diagnosed with SPD so I LOVE seeing sensory bins on blogs! I usually go to the Target Dollar Spot for ideas but haven’t tried the Dollar Store yet. What has been your biggest hit item?
Sharla says
August 21, 2011 at 1:47 pmThe biggest hits are the squishy balls that have lights in them, the tin foil, and the feather boa.
Bruna says
August 21, 2011 at 10:10 pmI love this! I’m a First Grade Teacher and could so use this in my classroom. Heading to the dollar store tomorrow! Thanks for the idea 🙂
Denise says
August 22, 2011 at 4:24 pmhow do sensory bins work? do they close their eyes and put their hands in? Amara hates the feel of those squishy toys!
Sharla says
August 22, 2011 at 9:32 pmDenise – they can close their eyes and see if they can figure out what they are holding or they can just play and explore and use their imaginations with their eyes wide open. It’s kind of like playing in a sandbox, only more textures!
Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas says
August 27, 2011 at 8:06 pmanother great bin! I am a bit addicted to the dollar store – so many great finds there over time.
you made a wonderful & frugal bin.
Thanks for sharing this on the Sunday Showcase – hope to see you this week.
Bern
http://momto2poshlildivas.blogspot.com/search/label/Sunday%20Showcase