Word Sort Game

Turn a sensory bin into a fun way to learn about word sounds and structures.  Words are hidden into black beans (dirt) and kids are given a shovel to find them.  Next they need to sort it into the right flower pot with nuture story.

Good for ages 4 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://nurturestore.co.uk/word-colour-sorting-games

Old McDonald's Sensory Box

From the time they're little kids learn about animals and their sounds.  This sensory box let's you create an animals and their habitats environment for the kids to pretend in.  Using different types of grains and beans, cereals and spices have kids decide which animal goes with which item, fill up the bins and let them play. 

Winter Sensory Bins

Celebrate winter with a sensory box using one of these many elements. 

White rice makes a great filler for a winter sensory bin.  The Iowa farmers wife also uses glittery snowflakes and plastic penguins and snowmen.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.theiowafarmerswife.com/2012/02/winter-sensory-bin.html

Fake snow is the base for this winter sensory bin.  Rubber boots and elf shoes also adds pompoms and foam snowflakes.

Get the instructions here:
http://rubberbootsandelfshoes.blogspot.com/2013/01/winter-sensory-bin.html

Suzy home schooler uses grated soap for her version.  She also adds a spoon and white beans for scooping fun.

Get the instructions here:
http://suzyhomeschooler.com/winter-sensory-bin/

Hollys art corner uses snow dough.  She then adds small foam penguins and snowflakes and pretty marbles along with measuring tools.

Get the instructions here:
http://hollysartcorner.blogspot.com/2013/01/toddler-sensory-activtiy-winter-sensory.html

Teaching my blessings uses cotton balls and Styrofoam balls along with winter words.

Get the instructions here:
http://teachingmyblessings.blogspot.com/2012/01/winter-sensory-bin.html

Childhood beckons uses cotton batting and lots of plastic winter accessories for her version.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.childhoodbeckons.com/2010/12/winter-sensory-box.html

1 plus 1 plus 1 equals 1 uses packing peanuts and lots of plastic penguins and snowflakes.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.net/2011/01/winter-sensoryimagination-bin/

Two little seeds uses polystyrene balls, lots of spoons, beads and a common theme, penguins.

Get the instructions here:
http://twolittleseeds.blogspot.com/2011/01/winter-sensory-box.html

Playing house in Maryland uses lots of stuffed penguins, measuring cups, baby pine cones, and beads.

Get the instructions here:
http://playinghouseinmaryland.blogspot.com/2011/02/january-sensory-bins.html

How we learn at home uses salt and pom poms for her version.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.howwelearnathome.com/2013/01/winter-wonderland-sensory-bin.html

Make snowmen from ping pong balls.  Katherine maries adds shredded blue paper to cushion the snowmen parts.

Get the instructions here:
http://katherinemaries.com/blog/archives/11089

Halloween Sensory Roundup

Green water beads and black circle dot stickers make great eye balls kids can mush apart with fun at home with kids sensory bin.

Good for ages 1 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2013/10/giant-water-beads-halloween-eyeball.html

Also check out the posts on a pumpkin and ghost sensory bins.

 Mom to 2 posh lil divas makes sensory bottles adding red and yellow food coloring, glitter and Halloween confetti.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.momto2poshlildivas.com/2012/10/halloween-fun-sensory-boo-bottles-for.html 

Fun at home with kids also makes sensory bottles.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/09/halloween-sensory-for-babies-discovery.html

Alphabet Sensory Bins

Abcderians will love this hidden alphabet and number sensory box.  And next comes l uses clear letters in colored rice for kids to find them.

Good for ages 3 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.andnextcomesl.com/2013/05/two-simple-sensory-bins-using-invisible.html

Little hands big work has a very cleaver and educational alphabet search sensory bin where children need to find the letter and match it to a puzzle.

Another idea is to use just the letters in the child's name and s/he then has to find them and place them in the correct order.

Willow day has an alphabet ice scavenger hunt.  She hides plastic letters in ice for kids to chip and spray away.  She even hides them in the snow for kids to find.  Once the letters are revealed the kids have to arrange the letters to find the next one. 

Get the instructions here:
 http://www.willowday.com/2012/01/icy-treasure-hunt.html

Sensory Mud Box

At home with ali turns mud into a sensory box for the ultimate sensory experience letting kids make the classic mud pies and cakes.

Good for ages 1 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.athomewithali.net/2012/03/mud-garden-part-3.html

Cool Ocean Sensory Box

The imagination tree has a fantastic sensory bin for summer featuring frozen colored blue rice, blue water beads and plastic fish.

Good for ages 1 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://theimaginationtree.com/2013/07/ocean-sensory-tray-with-frozen-rice.html

Learning 4 kids uses ice in her version so it really is cool.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.learning4kids.net/2012/10/14/sensory-play-for-toddlers-kids-ice-world/

Water beads and fish tank gravel make the basis for this bin from brooks childcare.  She then adds squishy ocean themed bath toys including a stingray, turtle, octopus, starfish and blowfish and some plastic coral. 

This site is no longer available.

Fishing Sensory Box and Game

Water beads make a great sensory experience.  Simply place these cool beads into water and watch them expand.  Kids will love to feel the difference.  Just make sure to use only with kids who know not to eat them.

Once the novelty of the beads themselves wear out you can create a fun game adding colorful plastic fish hugged by a metal paper clip and float them in the beads.  Then give kids fishing poles made from popsicle sticks, a string and a tied on magnet such as a borrowed letter O from an alphabet set and let the kids go fishing.

Car Sensory Box

Got lots of toy cars lying around?  Add them to a sensory box filled with sand, toilet paper and paper towel tubes for tunnels, and even hardware pieces to give kids a new way to play with them.

Do you want to build a snow palace?

It doesn't have to be a snow palace.  Nurture store freezes water with silver and gold glitter to use for making an ice palace reminiscent of Frozen. 

Good for ages 1 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://nurturestore.co.uk/frozen-activities-make-your-own-ice-palace

Petal Sensory Box

 

One special way to celebrate Valentine's Day with the little ones is to create a sensory box of different kinds of homemade petals made out of tissue paper, silk, felt, construction paper, foam and other fun textures.  

Snow Sensory Box

In case you don't want to bring real snow indoors or there's no snow outside white shredded plastic bags make a great substitute.  Add wintery items such as plastic trees and snowmen, and animals to hop around for lots of imaginative play.

Thanksgiving Sensory Bin

Pine cones, acorns, and fall colored beans are just some of the Thanksgiving inspired items how we learn at home uses for their Thanksgiving sensory box.

Good for ages 2 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.howwelearnathome.com/2012/11/thanksgiving-sensory-tote-and.html

Pumpkin Sensory Box

Pumpkin pulp and seeds make a great sensory bin with plastic spiders and other Halloween creatures swimming inside.  Fun things to do with ur kids shows how to make this timely sensory box.

Good for ages 2 and up.

Get the instructions here:
http://funthingstodowithurkidz.blogspot.com/2013/09/pumpkin-goop.html

Green owl art hides plastic ghosts and bats in the pumpkin goop and seeds and has the kids find them within the pumpkin.

Get the instructions here:
http://greenowlart.blogspot.com/2013/10/halloween-sensory-play-pumpkin-treasure.html

Calming Sensory Box

Color can be a calming aspect for kids.  Use different size white beans to create a quiet sensory bin. 

Autumn Sensory Box

To make a fun sensory bin for fall start with a package of dried bean soup mix, add in colorful dried leaves, acorns, pine cones, seed pods, and other items fallen items from nature.

Beach Themed Sensory Box

Themed sensory bins can be fun and spark imaginative play.  To make a beach experience add part sand and part blue stones, the kind you put in vases, add plastic sea creatures and people and have the kids have a day at the beach.

Kix cereal takes their cereal box, cuts off the front, adds sand and some beach items for a really simple version.

Coffee Sensory Box

If going to the local coffee shop is part of your regular routine (or even if it isn't) your kids will love this sensory bin.  Place whole coffee beans, spoons, stick stirrers, sugar and cream packets and cups in the bin and have the kids make their own creations. 

The Writing Sensory Box

There are a lot of different methods to help kids learn how to spell. One common way is the have kids write in sand or other powder material like coffee grounds, salt, sugar, or even dirt.  Put different types of paper underneath like foil, waxed paper, saran wrap or sticky paper to add more sensory enjoyment.

Mrs. ricca kingergarten creates sight word seashells and lets kids practice writing with their finger in the sand box.  Fist she hides the seashells in the sand and as the kids find them they get to write them out.

Get the instructions here:
http://mrsriccaskindergarten.blogspot.com/2013/05/down-by-sea-math-literacy-centers.html 

Learning for kids places colorful construction paper under salt to make colorful surprises as the kids write words and numbers.

Get the instructions here:
http://www.learning4kids.net/2012/06/05/rainbow-salt-tray/

Sound Guessing Sensory Box

One great way to use left over plastic eggs is placing small noisy items within them matching 2 sounds for each egg and placing them all in a bin for an auditory sensory box.  Kids will need to guess which sounds match and will have fun finding out if they're right.  Items to try include:

- Coins
- Beans
- Water
- Rice
- Beads