I’ve read a lot about sensory bins and how little ones learn so much through sensory exploration. SO I made a sensory bin for my preschooler. He LOVES it! I did it for the educational aspect. If I had only known…it kept my 3yo occupied for an hour. That’s right, I said a whole HOUR. It’s the closet thing to real magic that I’ve ever heard of.
I filled a plastic bin with dry rice, plastic measuring cups, utensils, and some tiny wooden blocks. I spent less than $5.00 at the dollar store on the contents and a vinyl tablecloth to contain any mess. It was great watching him explore: sifting, pouring, and inspecting each item. We talked about how the rice felt, concepts like bigger & smaller, inside & outside, and full & empty. It seems so simple but it’s really a great learning opportunity. It went over so well, I plan to do another and fill it with seasonal items.