Sensory Bins

Have you heard of sensory bins yet?  They're all over Pinterest.  This has been such a valuable new discovery this year thanks to a tip from my mom.  The bins use many of the cheapest items you could find around your house, and they keep Josiah entertained for a LONG time (sometimes even a good hour and a half!).  Some require a cheap purchase from the store or from the Internet, but it has been well worth it!  With all the bins I made below, I don't think I spent more than $20 (granted I had lots of the items and others were given as gifts).

Sensory bins are often themed and they typically have four parts:

• a container (we use a bin) 
• filler (the base of your play like rice, shaving cream, Cheerios, coffee beans; most of these can be saved and reused )
• tools (measuring cups, spoons, scoops, funnels)
• extra toys (cars, Toob animals, you can purchase online or even at most craft ). 

Here are some combinations of sensory bins Josiah has enjoyed.  I put his top 3 in bold.

Colored Rice Bin:
Colored rice, funnels, cups, old containers with screw top lids, and Toob animals, or really whatever you want!

Magnet Bin:
rice, magnetic wand, magnetic marbles, magnetic chips, extra magnets,  metal/non-metal objects

Construction Bin:
potting soil, rocks, small construction trucks

Ocean Bin:
Water beads, water, and ocean Toob animals

Forest Bin:
Coffee beans, scoops, trucks, stick, fake trees, rocks, forest Toob animals

Sand Bin :
Brookstone Sand or Kinetic sand, dinosaurs, dessert, or bug Toob animals, construction trucks, knife for cutting sand 
This sand is SOOO cool. (Thanks Aunt Elizabeth!)  We got some for Christmas!  Check out the video.  

Oobleck Bin:
Oobleck Recipe, spoons, cups, animals

Snow Bin 1:
Shaving Cream, bowl with ice and water, Arctic Toob animals--this was MESSY, but a lot of fun for him.

Snow Bin 2:  (Hope to try soon)
Spangler's Insta-Snow, Arctic Toob animals

So go ahead and do a Pinterest search for sensory bins.  Please share favorites with us!