With little ones at home, I am constantly trying to think of ways to entertain them while keeping them out of trouble and engaged for at least 20 minutes, which can be a hard task with two kiddos under four years of age.
Now before I get started, I should say I hate messes. I try to be a fun mom, but often in the back of my head I am screaming NOOOOO!! So, hear me out with these two easy sensory bin ideas. These are fun, and if you plan ahead, they don’t have to be too messy!
2 Easy Sensory Bins
- Rainbow Rice Sensory Bin: This is a great way for kids to explore textures and colors, as well as help develop those fine motor skills. Don’t let the idea of the rice mess scare you. Sensory bins are an easy way to let your kids play with things that would typically make a big mess but the mess is contained, and far easier to clean up.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups uncooked rice
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar (the vinegar binds it to the rice to prevent the coloring from coming off)
- Liquid food coloring
- Large towel to place under the rice (helps with clean up)
Instructions:
- Divide your rice among the plastic bags. Squirt a different food color into each bag.
- Seal the bags, squeezing most of the air out. Squish each bag around, getting the color all over the rice.
- Spread the rice out onto foil and let dry.
- Pour onto your rainbow rice sensory bins!
Let your kiddos help think of things they can use in the rice. The ideas are endless; you can put in cars, measuring cups, pom poms, dinosaurs, etc. And yes, it’s okay to mix the colors…as Elsa would say, “Let it go,” mamas.
- Water Bead Sensory Bin: Water beads are tiny gel balls that expand in water. These are also commonly referred to as Orbeez. My daughters love how squishy they feel in their hands. *Water beads are dangerous if swallowed. Adult supervision is required for this activity.*
Ingredients:
- Packet of water beads
- Water
- Plastic container
- Large towel to place under the container
Instructions:
- Simply follow the instructions on the packet and let the beads expand.
- This may take some time, so I suggest setting this up a few hours earlier so you are ready to play and your littles don’t get impatient.
There are so many fun ways to play with water beads. We often use sea animals, since it’s water, and hide them in it. Kids love to scoop and pour, so be sure to grab some supplies, like shovels, tongs, and measuring cups. The Dollar Tree is a great place for picking up little treasures for both of these sensory bins.
In regards to clean up, I place a large towel underneath the containers. The loose rice or water beads mostly fall on the towel, which helps with clean up. I also give plenty of reminders regarding keeping the stuff inside the containers. A friend of mine uses clean up as another fun activity: sweeping!
See more easy sensory bin ideas here, here & here!
What sensory bin ideas do you have? Tell us in the comments!
