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Sensory Bin Starter Kit

By Sharla Kostelyk

(This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosure policy.)

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Sensory bins are simple to put together but provide a big “punch” in terms of benefits. Improved fine motor skills, sensory input (tactile, visual, proprioception, and sometimes auditory and/or gustatory), communication skills, and hands-on learning are just some of the opportunities that are presented to a child with sensory bin play.

If you’re new to creating sensory bins for your child or classroom, I’ve put together a Sensory Bin Starter Kit guide for you. green and blue water beads and toy frogs on top. Red filler and heart shaped erasers on the bottom.

Here are some ideas to help you put together your own sensory bin starter kit:

Sensory Bins eBook

Sensory Bins ebook

The Sensory Bins book includes idea lists, storage tips, money saving hints, information on sensory processing in how it pertains to sensory bins, and sensory play recipes. It’s a great place to start.

Pluffle

This stuff is so fun! It kind of moves which is just super neat. I discovered it just last year. It makes a great sensory bin filler and is so versatile. You can see a video below of the pluffle in action.

Learning Resources Helping Hands Fine Motor Tool Set 

Sensory bins are a wonderful way to improve fine motor skills. This tool set includes large Gator Grabber tweezers, a Handy Scooper, Twisty Dropper, and Squeezy Tweezers. These are all designed for fine motor skill development. four plastic toys for fine motor skills

Adding one or more of these into a sensory bin will offer more ways to play and explore. I especially like the Handy Scooper for water bead sensory bins. 

For similar effects, you can also add kitchen tools such as measuring cups, measuring spoons, tongs, scoops, ladles, strainers, small bowls, and spatulas. These are great for scooping, pouring, measuring, moving, pinching, and grabbing. 

Water Beads

Water beads are such a versatile sensory item. They make an easy sensory bin filler. I’ve used them in so many of our sensory bins. 

Small Toys or Items for Play

One of the things I use most in my sensory bins are little toys found in these things called Toobs. I’ve used the space set, human organs, ocean animals, in the sky, arctic, insects, fruits and vegetables, penguins, dinosaur skulls, and many others.

Small toy cars, miniature trees, pompoms, and mini figures are other common items we often use in our bins. If you have all of these basic components and add them to a bin, you can create all kinds of wonderful sensory bins for your child to explore!

As with all sensory play, adult supervision should be used at all times.

Other Sensory Bin Resources:

  • Over 100 Sensory Bin Themes
  • Sensory Bin Fillers and Tools
  • How to Dye Noodles for Sensory Play
  • How to Dye Rice for Sensory Play
  • How to Create Sensory Bins Your Child Will Love
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Filed Under: Sensory Bins

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mary Ann Loreng says

    December 4, 2020 at 9:11 am

    I absolutely love your sensory tools and ideas! I use them with my preschoolers!

  2. Maryrose Molnar says

    December 4, 2020 at 9:59 am

    I love these ideas! I have made sensory bottles in the past but nothing like these.
    Awesome

  3. Pat Goudreau says

    December 4, 2020 at 11:16 am

    I use sensory bins in my classroom. The kids love them and they are so effective for sensory input, fine motor skills, and helping kids to self-regulate, Of course, with all the covid concerns, I’ve had to get creative and make smaller individual bins, but the plus is that I can tailor them to each kid’s unique needs and preferences.

    I LOVE the “Minute to Win IT” ideas in your email!

    • Steph says

      December 8, 2020 at 9:23 am

      What a great idea to create individualized smaller bins for kiddos! More work, for sure, but safer!

  4. barbara Sanders says

    December 4, 2020 at 11:16 am

    thank you for these ideas!

  5. Cindy Cline says

    December 4, 2020 at 1:01 pm

    Great ideas for sensory bins. These are thing that can be used at home during remote therapy sessions. Thanks for sharing.

  6. Sabrina says

    December 4, 2020 at 1:30 pm

    These are all amazing. My 3yo is special needs and always looking for new ideas to help him develop. Thank you for today’s chance. We’d love to give them a try 🤗 good luck to everyone 💫
    Have a Beautiful day!!!!

  7. Debra Miller says

    December 4, 2020 at 8:08 pm

    We could always use new ideas for sensory bins. Would love the book to use with my kiddos in class! Thank you

  8. Dana Lloyd says

    December 5, 2020 at 5:38 pm

    I hadn’t thought of using mostly pompoms in a sensory bin but I have your fine motor tools for picking them up!! We’ve just used rice or beans and I have water beads ready to play with now!!

  9. maria says

    December 6, 2020 at 4:47 pm

    Would like to do this but never knew how to put it together. Thank you!

  10. Lynda says

    December 6, 2020 at 5:15 pm

    Sensory bins are so valuable to our special Ed classroom. We have kinetic sand and bean boxes but I would love to have other things for my students to try too. Thank you for offering us this information!

  11. Katie says

    December 6, 2020 at 6:06 pm

    I love the water beads, regular beads, rice and beans. All super fun ideas to use.

  12. Jane Maritz says

    December 6, 2020 at 11:42 pm

    buttons, glass beads, little animals

  13. Natalie Wahl says

    December 7, 2020 at 2:37 am

    My favorite sensory bin tools are easy to clean up. I learned to put a mat like the ones used for sun bathing underneath and have scoops and small brushes and dust pans. We like small balls with different fillings, shapes and densities, cute erasers and play dog tools for just a few other suggestions.

  14. Angie Cox says

    December 7, 2020 at 7:38 am

    Such neat ideas

  15. Mary Ann Loreng says

    December 7, 2020 at 7:50 am

    My two favorite sensory bins include water beads and kinetic sand!

  16. Lindsey Peterson says

    December 7, 2020 at 7:50 am

    I love getting new ideas for sensory bins that my preschoolers will love!

  17. Anna W says

    December 7, 2020 at 8:29 am

    I love using water beads, rice, pom poms and water in my sensory bins.

  18. Erin says

    December 7, 2020 at 9:49 am

    Thanks for introducing me to pluffle! I am always looking for new ideas for sensory bins. My kids love water beads and kinetic sand.

  19. Michelle J. says

    December 7, 2020 at 1:34 pm

    I have only ever used rice or beans.

  20. Stephanie E Owen says

    December 7, 2020 at 7:28 pm

    I love using ground corn cob for a fall sensory bin.

  21. Yvonne Scott says

    December 7, 2020 at 8:40 pm

    Great sensory ideas! Will have to try out some Pluffle, that’s a new one to me.

  22. Shiloh Olson says

    December 9, 2020 at 11:32 am

    My favorite sensory bin fillers are colored rice or beans. I’ll have to try pluffle.

  23. Wanda says

    December 9, 2020 at 7:46 pm

    I love the water beads and the kids love them also.

  24. Catie Barker says

    December 10, 2020 at 12:14 pm

    I love sensory bins! I try to have one for every month and the students LOVE them! I have never heard of Pluffle, something new to add to my sensory toolkit.

  25. Heather says

    December 11, 2020 at 9:58 am

    I made “touch boards” on manila folders this year for each student to have in their desks since we are limiting shared equipment this year. I glued various things to each folder: lace, wax paper, sandpaper, duct tape, felt, velcro, rhinestones, etc that all have different textures. I introduced it during our lesson on the sense of touch.

    • Sharla Kostelyk says

      December 11, 2020 at 3:14 pm

      That is an AMAZING idea!

  26. Laura A says

    December 12, 2020 at 10:00 am

    Love sensory bins…so many ideas to try!

  27. Karen says

    December 12, 2020 at 10:23 am

    Love these sensory ideas.

  28. Nia Petrovic says

    December 12, 2020 at 11:03 am

    I hope to win the box as I think my little one would really benefit from it!

  29. Stacy S says

    December 12, 2020 at 12:15 pm

    Kinetic sand, different kinds of scoops, ribbons of different textures.

  30. Beth Steese says

    December 12, 2020 at 1:01 pm

    Sensory bins are a favorite in our house and my classroom

  31. Amanda Whitley says

    December 12, 2020 at 1:07 pm

    we love to do water beads in the water table with sea creatures.

  32. Ginger Holley says

    December 12, 2020 at 6:59 pm

    I love all of your sensory bin ideas!!!

  33. Jeannie says

    December 12, 2020 at 8:09 pm

    We had fun in the fall with acorns we found outside and fake fall leaves. My boys also really love the instant snow!

  34. Carla Myers says

    December 13, 2020 at 10:07 am

    Love the sensory activities! I incorporate them in my OT sessions!

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