The Chaos and the Clutter

How to Create Sensory Bins Your Child will Love

It’s easy to create sensory bins your child will love. Sensory play allows kids to explore through their senses, to improve their vocabulary, practise their fine motor skills, and so much more. Sensory bins are an easy and versatile way to introduce this. Not all sensory bins are created equal. While just plunking a few items in a bin will still result in your child enjoying some sensory input and play, there are ways that you can create sensory bins your child will love.

Those awesome tubs will encourage hours of imaginative play. They will engage multiple senses and bring out the best of their imagination.

How to create sensory bins your child will love:

Incorporate as many senses as possible.

Most sensory bins will engage the visual and tactile senses, but the more senses you can engage, the better. Consider adding auditory (sound) elements. Add smell to provide olfactory input. Place things in the bin to challenge proprioception (pressure). Or even add a taste element to the bin.

Ideas to add sound:

- items with crunchy textures
- jingle bells
- sound shakers
- fill a small container with seeds or beads
- bubble wrap
- sound machine
- instruments
- answer buzzers

Ideas to add smell:

cinnamon sticks
essential oils
smell bottles
baby powder
flowers
citrus (lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit)
coffee beans or grounds
chocolate or chocolate powder
tea or tea bags
herbs
grass

Ideas to add taste or oral sensory input:

harmonica
cooked noodles
edible playdough
dry cereal
edible water beads
ice cubes
whipped cream
pudding
jello
water
sprinkles
candy
snow

Ideas to add proprioception input:

bubble wrap
slime
playdough
cloud dough
rubber bands
packing peanuts

Use a variety of textures.

Incorporating different textures adds to the sensory experience. When possible, try to incorporate things that are opposites, such as something hard and something soft.

Ideas for adding texture:

paper shreds
cotton balls or cotton batting
ice
rocks or pebbles
fabric
bubble wrap
sandpaper
water beads
bricks or blocks
jello

Consider your child’s interests and passions.

Think about the things that your child is interested in. What do they talk a lot about? What are they passionate about? Incorporate that into a sensory bin.

They can even help you plan it out. Maybe your daughter is in a huge dinosaur phase. She probably knows more about dinosaurs than you do, so have her plan out what to include. Allow her to choose the sensory bin base and what items to place inside.

Choose a theme.

It’s easy to create a sensory bin around a theme. Themes also allow for great imaginative play for kids. You can find a huge list of sensory bin theme ideas here.

Include items that can be used for scooping, pinching, and pouring.

Include cups, bowls, tweezers, tongs, spoons, measuring cups or spoons, sieves, funnels, tubes, empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls, small shovels, jars, ladles, slotted spoons, strainers, tea infuser, and bottles. These will encourage a lot of exploration as well as providing opportunity for good fine motor practise.

Make each sensory bin unique.

It’s fun for kids to discover a new sensory bin. Surprising them with a fun new theme or new sensory bin fillers keeps them interested.

Let your child play.

Sensory bins work best when you allow your child to lead. This fuels their imagination. When their play is self-directed, children learn more and better retain what they learn. Create the sensory bin (either for your child or with your child) and then sit back and watch your child play.

These may also interest you:

Check out The Mega List of Sensory Bin Fillers and Tools for lots of great ideas of what to include in your next sensory tub.

If you feel stuck on deciding what to make, this list of sensory bin themes will help get your creativity going.

Bright Butterfly Sensory Bin

By Sharla Kostelyk

The inspiration behind this butterfly sensory bin was actually a package of pasta! I was at the store and spotted brightly coloured bow tie pasta. As soon as I saw it, I thought “those look like butterflies”. So of course I bought it so that I could make a butterfly sensory bin.

The pasta looks so much like little butterflies that the other butterflies in this sensory bin blend in with it. The kids enjoyed exploring with this activity.

Butterfly Sensory Bin:

Materials needed:

brightly coloured bow tie pasta in a variety of colours*
clear silicone butterfly stamps
butterfly shaped cookie cutter
butterfly shaped foam piece
small magnifying glass
plastic butterflies from the butterfly Toob
glow in the dark butterfly wand (I find a 3 pack of these at the dollar store)

*If you can’t find bow tie pasta that’s already coloured, you can buy regular bow tie pasta and colour it yourself. You can find a tutorial on dying pasta for sensory play here.

Directions:

Pour the dry pasta into a plastic bin.
Add the other items.
You can also add small cups or bowls as scoops.
Invite your child to play!

This sensory bin provides visual, auditory, and tactile sensory input.

I always find it interesting the way that each of my kids approaches a sensory bin differently. This one was no different. One of our sons just scooped around in the bin, hiding butterflies and finding them and even mindlessly running his fingers through it to hear the sound of the dry pasta moving. One of our daughters took her time examining the butterflies with the magnifying glass while commenting on their features. She also enjoyed squishing the silicone stamps and foam piece.

Another of our daughters went about her play very differently. She carefully picked out individual pasta shapes and methodically built a large butterfly on the counter. She planned out the colours and had everything just so. Later, she brushed the pasta into her hands and put the pieces back in the bin.

Ways to expand this and make this sensory bin part of a unit on butterflies:

I bought the shaped foam piece that went in the sensory bin in a large pack. If you do this, you can use the remaining foam to have kids decorate their own. They can use glitter pens, markers, sequins and glue, or stickers.

Use pasta, beans, leaves, a twig, and paper plate to create a butterfly life cycle visual.

Raise your own butterflies. We did this one summer and the kids were absolutely fascinated. You can purchase butterfly raising kits that walk you through how to do this. My kids were in awe when the butterflies emerged from their cocoons.

Insect Lore Butterfly Growing Kit – With Voucher to Redeem Caterpillars Later

Set out books about butterflies:

Butterfly Butterfly: A Book of Colors Handbooks: Butterflies & Moths: The Clearest Recognition Guide Available Butterfly Activity Book for Kids Ages 4-8 My, Oh My–A Butterfly!: All About Butterflies Butterflies For Kids: A Children’s Picture Book About Butterflies From Caterpillar to Butterfly The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Butterfly Sensory Bag

Create a Sensory Room on Any Budget in Any Space

By Sharla Kostelyk

Total: 220
Facebook83
Twitter0
Pinterest137
Mix
Yummly0

I have been wanting to create a sensory room for years. There were a few things that held me back. I had looked into the cost of some of the sensory equipment used in other sensory spaces and knew I couldn’t afford that. I was also worried about where to put it. The kids got older. I still saw the need for a sensory room. I knew that if I didn’t create one now, they would soon be grown. That prompted my decision to use a storage closet as the space. I began planning how I could make things myself instead of purchasing expensive equipment.

One day while at my daughter’s therapy appointment, we visited the sensory room there and I watched her mood transform. I knew we absolutely needed one at home. I had run out of excuses and knew it was time to just do it.

(photos courtesy of Shelley of STEAM Powered Family)

What are the benefits of a sensory room?

help a child feel safe
engage the senses and provide sensory input (sensory diet)
improve balance and coordination
work on fine and gross motor skills
support therapeutic treatment
better manage challenging behaviours
encourage exploration
increase sensory experiences and tolerance
build confidence
increased vocabulary and communication opportunities
improved caregiver relationship
reset mood
reduce stress

If you are worried that you don’t have enough room to make a sensory space, I’m going to tell you that it’s possible no matter how small your classroom or home is.

If you have no space at all to devote to a sensory area:

make a sensory board and store it under a couch, under a bed, or behind furniture to pull out when needed.
create a sensory box that is filled with fidgets and calm down tools.

If you have limited space to devote to a sensory area:

make a sensory corner in your classroom, playroom, child’s room, basement, or living room.
use a closet or storage room as the sensory room.
convert a shed or an area of the garage.

If your concern is more the cost, I have some awesome money saving tips for you.

I know that sensory rooms can cost thousands if the equipment is all purchased. For organizations who have those funds, that is a wonderful option. For the rest of us, there are ways to create a sensory room on a budget.

See a video tour of our sensory space:

What to include in your sensory room:

I took a look at the space that I had and took into consideration my kids’ needs and their individual sensory preferences and planned the room accordingly.

Sensory Wall

I knew that I wanted to include a sensory wall. It would be a place for them to explore different textures and colours and shapes. I had looked online and seen that sensory walls easily cost hundreds of dollars. Using a cork board and a bit of imagination, I was able to create ours for under $25 plus the cost of the cork board.

Read the full instructions on how to make your own sensory wall and get a list of other texture ideas that you can use.

Calm Down Corner

The room at my daughter’s therapy includes a fibre optic curtain corner area that she loves. The problem was that when I looked up the cost, it was nearly a thousand dollars. Yikes! But I had a vision for a calm down corner that included fibre optic lights that changed colour with a remote so that each child could choose the colour they found most soothing.

The solution? We bought these fibre optic lights and then one of my sons drilled holes in a board. He attached that board to another board and then we strung the light strands through the holes and set the board on top of a shelf so that it hangs down over the corner of the room.

I placed a bean bag chair under the fibre optic light curtain and a mermaid pillow on top of the bean bag chair. I also have a few “brain friendly” books sitting there in case one of the kids wants to read while they are in the calm down corner. There is a long mirror across from that corner. This is for two reasons. The first is that the room used to be a storage closet so it’s very small and the mirror helps it feel bigger. The second is that kids can use the mirror to monitor their breathing and facial expressions which can help them to self-regulate.

Fidget Box

I’m so in love with the box I found to hold fidgets for the room. It has all kinds of encouraging phrases on it including “Just Breathe”, “Help Others”, and “Enjoy the Journey”. It’s so perfect for this.

The box contains all kinds of fidgets including pencil toppers, Chewelry, glow in the dark sticks, stress balls, slime, putty, and lots and lots of fidgets.

Pea Pod Fidgets CuberSpeed Rainbow Ball Magic Pencil Topper Fidgets Meshballs Multi Fidget Pack TANGLE Original Fidget Toy Marble Fidget Toys Koosh Balls Munchables Owl Chew Necklace Munchables Unicorn Pendant Chew Sensory Teether Necklace Squishy Stress Relief Fidget

Shelf of Sensory and Calm Down Tools

I used a shelf that was already in the room and set items on top for the kids to use as needed. This includes a sound machine, the remote control for the fibre optic curtain light, a lava lamp, fibre optic lamp, plasma nebula ball, light up wand with sensory ends, liquid motion timer, and felt board.

On the felt board, I put the words “In Through Your Nose Out Through Your Mouth” as a reminder for my kids to do their calm down breathing.

Other Items in the Sensory Space:

Purple fuzzy throw rug – I bought it at WalMart.

Teal fuzzy large box with lid – This can double as a chair and it can hold books. I also put a few books on top that are designed to boost how kids see themselves.

Sensory Steppers – Kids can use these to touch, walk or stand on, or to sit on. They provide great sensory feedback.

Sensory Bin – I swap this out depending on what our current sensory bin is. You can see all our sensory bin examples here. You could also include sensory bottles or sensory bags.

Fiber Optic Curtain Light Lavender Polka Dot Bean Bag Chair Sensory Stepperz Lava Lamp Plasma Ball Fiber Optic Light Liquid Motion Bubble Timer Pink Felt Letter Board Conair Sound Therapy Machine Mermaid Sequin Pillow Light Up Wand

Join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities that has helped thousands of people and get your Sensory System Behaviours Easy Reference Cards.

You might also like:

How to Create a Calm Down Kit for Your Child

How to Make a Sensory Wall

Total: 220
Facebook83
Twitter0
Pinterest137
Mix
Yummly0

Mermaid Stress Balls

By Sharla Kostelyk

Homemade stress balls are so easy to make. They are so much less expensive than the store bought ones and I actually like the feel of them better as well. We have been making DIY stress balls for years, but this time, I wanted to try something a little bit different, so we made mermaid stress balls.
I really love the way they turned out. They look super fun, but they also offer a very different tactile experience because of the textures in them. Children will enjoy exploring through their sense of touch.

Stress balls are sometimes called squeeze balls or sensory balls. Kids can get visual and tactile sensory input from these. Homemade stress balls are also a great calming tool for kids (and adults). They are perfect for including in your child’s calm down kit.
These are also small enough to be kept in a backpack, desk or a child’s room. This enables kids to have a calm down tool with them wherever they go. They also make a great fidget and are quiet to play with, so most teachers don’t mind students using them in the classroom.

Squeezing stress balls can ease tension and when combined with calm down breathing techniques, are an effective method of reducing overall stress or calming down in the moment.

*Please note that there are small parts in these stress balls and the small parts and the balloon are choking hazards so as with all sensory play activities, adult supervision should be used at all times.

How to make mermaid stress balls:

Materials needed:

blue, green, and clear water beads
faux pearls
holographic white glitter
clear balloons
small funnel or an empty water bottle

Water Beads Faux Pearls Holographic Glitter Clear Balloons

Directions:

Soak the water beads according to the directions on the package so that they are full sized.
Stretch the end of the balloon over the end of a small funnel or the tip of an empty water bottle.
Add the glitter, faux pearls and water beads to the balloon. You want to fill it until it is the size you want.
Tie off the end of the balloon. Cut the excess away.
Your mermaid stress ball is now ready to squeeze, squish or hold.

Get 175 sensory activity ideas in convenient printable lists which are ideal for using in the home, classroom or in a therapeutic setting.

You may also want to read:

What to Include in a Calm Down Kit

Mermaid Sensory Bag

Homemade Stress Balls

Hair Care: Tips for Kids with Sensory Struggles

By Sharla Kostelyk

Hair care can be torture for some kids with sensory issues. While all of us have sensory preferences, for kids with Sensory Processing Disorder or autism, having their hair washed, combed, or cut can go beyond just being unpleasant. I’ve put together a list of tips to help kids who struggle with sensory issues when it comes to their hair.

Lately, a lot of readers have been contacting me for advise about their child’s hair. I understand this concern well as one of our sons used to cower in the corner when he saw me reach for the hair brush. He would scream and beg me not to comb his hair.

Mornings became difficult for both of us. His beautiful curls became knotted if I gave in to his pleas not to comb it which only made it worse. And bath times were another battle ground as he hated the feeling of the water on his face when rinsing the shampoo off.

Obviously with his scalp being as sensitive as it was, there was absolutely no way he would allow a hairdresser near his head.

We got to the point where we just shaved his hair super short so that it didn’t have to be such a daily battle.

Since then, I’ve learned a lot about sensory and together, he and I have come a LONG way! He is a teenager now and actually enjoys getting his hair cut at the barber. He does prefer to keep it short still, but is happy to have it washed and cut.

A lot of sensory kiddos are super sensitive about having their hair washed, cut, combed or even touched. There are many reasons for this.

Sensory Reasons for Hair Struggles:

Vestibular – Some kids are sensitive to having their head tilted backwards or forward for rinsing when having their hair washed. Your vestibular system controls your body’s sense of balance and motion. Kids with vestibular issues can feel unsteady, uncomfortable, or even afraid when tipping their head.

Olfactory (Scent) – Your child may be sensitive to the smell of the hair products you are using on them.

Tactile – Many children with sensory issues have very sensitive scalps or are sensitive to touch in general from hands, brushes or combs, and even water. Water on their face, in their eyes, or having shampoo get in their eyes can be difficult for all kids, let alone ones with higher sensitivities. Tactile is the most common reason for problems with hair care in kids with sensory sensitivities.

Auditory – Some kids struggle with the sound of the clippers at the hairdresser or the sound of the water in a shower.

Tips for managing hair care and sensory needs:

Determine the root cause. Talk to your child and also make your own observations and see if you can determine what the biggest sensory issues are. That way, you’ll be tackling things accurately.
Acknowledge to them and to you that this is not a child being difficult. This is a real thing that is causing them real pain or discomfort. Doing this will give you more patience and empathy.
Wash their hair less often. Kids do not need their hair washed daily (unless your physician has given you a medical reason why your child does). Every third day should be sufficient unless they happen to play in the mud on the in between days. You can also use a dry shampoo for the days in between if you’re concerned about the cleanliness of their hair.
If shampoo is your main battle, skip the shampoo. Wash with water and a conditioner and use dry shampoo.
Give your child more control in the process. Allow them to choose their hair products. Let them smell shampoos and conditioners at the store and decide what they like or buy unscented. Let them comb and style their own hair.
Choose a low maintenance hair style for them. This was easier for me to do with my son than it was when one of my daughters had a hard time with having her hair combed and wanted it cut short, but I knew that “pretty hair” wasn’t worth the tears it would take every day to get there.
Don’t expect your child to hold still while you comb or style their hair. Give them a fidget to play with or a weighted lap pad. Let them play Lego or watch TV or both. It won’t be easy for you to comb hair on a moving target, but it will be less stressful if they are less upset.
Make changes. (see list below)

Try a different comb such as a Tangle Teaser or Wet Brush.
Try a bath rather than a shower or a shower rather than a bath.
Wash their hair in the sink rather than in the bath.
Try dumping water on their head using a Rinse Cup rather than having them tip their head back.
Have your child use a Bath Visor to avoid getting as much water on their face. You can also use this during haircuts to avoid pieces of hair getting on their face.
Allow your child to wear swim goggles or a snorkel mask in the bath or shower.
Be sure you are using an excellent detangler so that knots are not making the hair combing situation even worse.
Use a visual timer so that your child knows how long they have to “endure” having their hair brushed.

Rinse Cup for hair washing Bath Visor Dive Mask Swim Goggles Visual Timer Tangle Teezer Brush Wet Brush Dry Shampoo

A note about haircuts:

Our hairstylist comes to our house and used to cut our kids’ hair where they are comfortable while they play with toys or read or watch TV to distract them. If this isn’t possible for you, pass these tips along to your salon to help them be more sensory friendly.

Biggest tip about hair and sensory needs:

As odd as this sounds, don’t work at all on trying to increase your child’s ability to handle having her head or hair touched. Leave the hair alone as much as possible and instead, focus on increasing other sensory activities: sensory play, heavy work, sensory input.

If you are working with an OT, ask them about dry brushing. This type of brushing is for the skin, not the hair, but is best under the care of an OT.

By increasing your child’s range of sensory experiences (sensory diet), it will eventually begin to be easier for them to have their head and hair touched.

Get a copy of Sensory Processing Overload Signs to print off and keep as a reminder here.

Going on a Bug Hunt Sensory Bin

By Sharla Kostelyk

The contrast of the bright colours against the black beans makes this Bug Hunt Sensory Bin so visually appealing. If you’re brave, you can include real life bugs in this sensory activity as well!

clear plastic bin filled with black beans, bug net, dandelions, bright coloured toy bugs, and bug container with blue lid

If you’re like me, you can invite your child to add insects that they find but keep your distance and insist that they keep the bin outside! Adding real life insects allows a whole other level of exploration and discovery. This sensory bin encourages interacting with nature and can begin with a nature hunt.

This activity is perfect for classrooms or preschools or homeschools. It can be incorporated into an insect unit in science or be a sensory break option during springtime.

Bug Hunt Sensory Bin:

Materials needed:

plastic bin
dry black beans
plastic bugs (bright colours look best on the black background)
Outdoor Discovery Kit you can find it on Amazon or at Dollar Tree. The kit includes a bug net, bug catcher, tweezers, magnifying glass, and bug containers – perfect for catching and observing real bugs!
flowers, leaves, and grass

Outdoor Discovery Kit Plastic Bugs Dry Black Beans

Instructions:

Begin by putting half of the pretend insects in the plastic bin you plan to use.
Add half of the flowers, grass and leaves that your child has gathered.
Pour the dry black beans into the bin so that the items you have already placed inside are covered.
Add the remaining plastic bugs and flowers, grass, and leaves to the bin. You can push them down a bit into the beans so that they are slightly covered.
Add tweezers, a small bug net, magnifying glass, and a small container for examining specimens.
Invite your child to go on a bug hunt in the bin. Have them try to identify the types of insects they find.
Optional: Arm your child with the bug catcher and one of the bug containers and have them go on a real bug hunt. They can then add the bug container to the sensory bin or add the bugs themselves to the bin (be sure to do this outdoors!).

Learning and Sensory Opportunities:

This bug hunt sensory bin offers visual, tactile, and auditory sensory input. If kids carry the bin, this offers proprioceptive feedback as it will be quite heavy. Hands-on learning will be happening while their sensory needs are met. There are opportunities for communication and vocabulary expansion while they explain their observations and ask questions.

This sensory bin provides excellent options for fine motor practise. The tweezers and the bug catcher each give kids the chance to use and improve their fine motor skills. Children can learn about insects as they explore this bin. This can happen with the plastic insects only or with the addition of those found in nature. They can make observations in a nature journal or discuss what they learn. You can set out books about bugs that they can use as references.

Book Suggestions to go along with a Bug Sensory Bin:

Bugs Galore

This silly book will keep kids engaged with its retro illustrations and plenty of rhymes. Great introduction to bugs for little learners.

The Bug Book

This book is factual meets fun for preschoolers. Kids can explore all kinds of bugs in vivid photographs to learn more about the insects they might see this summer in their own backyard.

Some Bugs

With cute rhymes and vibrant illustrations, this book embraces the behaviours of backyard bugs and encourages exploration for preschoolers.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

In this classic book, a very hungry caterpillar (as the title suggests) munches his way through a variety of goodies to transform into a beautiful butterfly.

Big Bug Book

I’m a sucker for pop-up books. This one is packed with all kinds of creepy, crawly fun!

The Ants Go Marching

This book is a good segue into taking your insect unit into other subjects such as math for preschoolers. The repetition and counting up to 5 is a great early learning approach to math that kids can’t get enough of.

Bugs Galore The Bug Book Some Bugs The Very Hungry Caterpillar The Big Bug Book: A Pop-up Celebration The Ants Go Marching: A Count-and-Sing Book