Sensory bins have gained considerable popularity in early childhood classrooms, and with good reason. Sensory bins are full of activities and materials for tactile exploration that promote sensory play, which builds on children’s natural curiosity, and supports development of cognitive, language, and motor skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A preschool sensory bin is any container that is filled with materials that are tactile in nature, (e.g., rice, water beads, sand, pasta, beans, cotton balls, or even natural materials that are safe for children to touch (i.e., pinecones, pebbles, crumpled paper). Sensory bins can provide stimulation for all of the senses (e.g., touch, hear, sight, and\/or smell). There are a few reasons that sensory bins are beneficial for preschool children, including: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Rainbow Rice Bin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Fill a bin with colored rice, hide small objects (buttons, beads, shapes). Encourage children to locate the small objects and then provide the children with scoops or funnels, and empty egg cartons for sorting in the bin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning Outcomes: Touch, sorting, identifying colors, fine motor skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Water Beads Bin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Fill a smaller bin with water beads. Provide different containers (cups and strainers) for the children to manipulate. Use descriptive language to discuss wet, soft, bounce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning Outcomes: Sensory development, estimating amount of water beads, have the children verbalize what they are feeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Shape Hunt Sand Bin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Fill a bin with play sand and hide foam shapes in the container. Then invite the children to dig in the sand and uncover the shapes! Once they have uncovered the shapes, sort the foam shapes and compare sizes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning Outcomes: Cognitive maths concepts, descriptive language and problem-solving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Pasta Bin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You will need to provide dry pasta of various shapes, sizes, and colors and set it up with scoops, bowls and spoons to allow for scooping, pouring, measuring and developing patterning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning Outcomes: Sorting, prediction, counting and hand strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Nature Finds Bin <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Look for different natural finds outside and put them in the bin for children to explore. For example: pinecones, leaves, small rocks, sticks, etc. After exploring let children sort, find, and group items with various descriptors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning Benefits: Environmental awareness, scientific thinking, tactile discrimination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. Mystery Texture Bin <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Blindfolding children and having them guess or describe various materials found in the bin. For example: stones, sponges, cotton balls, rubber bands, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning Benefits: Vocabulary, prediction, sensory awareness, and memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. Sound-and-Touch Bin <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Put items in the bin that make noise (beads, small bells, beans, etc.) and allow children to listen to the objects and feel them. Also, provide experiences for children to listen for the sounds of the object or \u201chunt\u201d for as well as listen for something in the bin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning Benefits: Auditory and tactile discrimination, attention and focus, and logical thinking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 8. Water Exploration Bin <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Fill the bin with cups, boats, and toys for waterproofing. Children can pour, float, and sink items. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning Benefits: Cause and effect, scientific exploration (sink and float), beginning math concepts related to volume. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 9. Letter Discovery Bin <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Use rice\/sand to bury foam\/plastic letters; then, children can search through rice\/sand for letters and\/or make their name!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning Outcomes: Basic literacy introduction, basic alphabet knowledge, basic writing skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 10. Scented sensory bin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Basically a bin of dried herbs, citrus peels, potpourri, cotton balls… Children are able to touch, smell, identify, and match descriptions to the smells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning Outcome: <\/strong>multi-sensory integration, descriptive language, sensory discrimination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you are planning preschool touch learning experiences\/learning, it is useful to:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ongoing research continues to show that toddlers and preschoolers that have access to sensory bins will:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sensory bins appear to just be play, but preschool sensory play is much more than play! Sensory experiences are deliberate and science-based opportunities for real learning. Intentional sensory play, thoughtful\/appropriate materials, and focused conversation will support another skill- language development, early math development, creative thinking, and social aspect of growth. These initial ideas above will help you see skills, language, attention, and confidence develop- with each scoop, pour and giggle. <\/p>\n\n\nMaking Use of Sensory Materials to Capitalize on Preschool Touch Learning and Social Skills<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Sensory Play for Early Learning – Best Practices<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Preschool Creative Sensory Bins Ideas to Try<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Benefits of Sensory Bins – It’s Science!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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