{30 Days of Simple Toddler Toys} Day 23: Sensory Bins

Most people don't think about sensory bins as gifts, but they are the perfect, personalized, homemade gift for toddlers.  They are inexpensive, and can provide hours and hours of fun for little ones!

Sensory bins can be made from almost anything safe for children to explore.  We have a few different kinds of bins right now, but the possibilities are numerous.  All you need is some kind of container with a lid to keep the items, and an imagination to decide what items to place in the bin!  Here are some ideas from our collection:

Simple Sensory Bin  #1

• beans
• plastic animals or bugs
• measuring spoons or cups

Simple Sensory Bin #2

• dry split peas
• toy vehicles
• measuring spoons or cups

Pom Pom Sensory Bin

• craft pom poms
• measuring spoons
• ice cube tray

The key to a really, really good sensory bin is to appeal to all of the senses (or as many as you can).  Smell seems to be a difficult one to appeal to, so think about adding a few drops of essential oils or some other scent that can spice up the sense-factor.  And remember, you can't always taste things in the sensory bin ;)

Go through any dollar store with an open mind, and you can create an amazing sensory bin for very little money!

Sensory Bin Ideas:

• beans
• rice
• dirt
• Easter grass
• sawdust
• sand
• rocks/stones
• pasta/noodles
• cotton balls
• feathers
• flour
• sugar
• koosh balls
• corn kernels
• cereal
• acorns
• nuts
• water beads
• epsom salts
• water/bubbles