Sensory Bins

Ruby is a big fan of sensory play, so we keep several sensory bins on hand for whenever the mood strikes!

I am slightly obsessive with certain things, so I make sure that all my bins are the same so that they stack well and look organized on the shelf (I am okay with your judgement!). We find 8.5x11 to be the perfect size for our bins and using clear bins means that we can see what is inside without opening each one to find what we want. Also, clear bins means that that you could transfer your entire bin to a light table should you ever be inclined to do so (Daddy is making one for Ruby, so this is a nice feature for us...so excited!)

Here is a list of our favorite bins:

1. Kinetic Sand - Ruby and I are both big fans of this stuff! It is soft and smooth and never leaves your hands feeling sticky or dry. It is easy to form in to various shapes and also feels neat just to let it slip through your fingers. It can be a little pricey, so I tend to grab a box or two when I find a sale for the times that you inevitably lose some to the dog hair on the floor. I found cute little accessories at Michael's for our bin, including tiny sand castle moulds and little shovels and rakes. (Note: Never pay full price for anything at Michael's! There are always sales and if all else fails, there is always a coupon!)

2. Water Beads - These are also popular in our house. You can find them at many places, but I found them to be cheapest in the craft section at Wal-Mart (and we got three colours in one pack :) We just followed the directions on the package to make them and they turned out great. We have had them for months and they are still in great shape (I have heard of people's beads getting slimy over time and wonder if the fact that we used distilled water instead of tap water made the difference?) Ruby loves to use bowls and spoons to scoop and stir her beads or she just rubs her hands through them (and I do too!)

3. Scented Rice - I just used a mix of whatever rice I had on hand and added a few drops of essential oils to scent them. Ruby scoops and stirs and loves the feeling of her feet in the rice bin. She also likes to add rice to small containers with lids to make shakers so we can have a little dance party while we play. 

4. Dyed Pasta - I used food colouring and vinegar to dye my pasta that I purchased at the dollar store (we typically eat gluten free pasta and I didn't want to use $10 in noodles to make this bin!) There seemed to be several suggested ways to dye pasta and this way worked really well except for the lingering smell of vinegar (this is what helps the colour to stick), so I scented the noodles with essential oils as well :) I add measuring cups, spoons, bowls and various containers so that Ruby can scoop and "make supper". 

5. Beans - This is our newest bin and was immediately a favourite for Ruby! I just added a bag of white beans that I picked up for less than $3 at Wal-Mart and two trucks that I grabbed at the dollar store...a dump truck and a "loader" (Ruby's fav!!) Ruby has been enjoying scooping the beans with her loader and dumping them in to the dump truck. She also wanted to pour beans in to my hand and have me pour them in to hers. We had this bin out three different times today!

As Ruby gets older, I will work on expanding her bins and making them more complex, hopefully creating fun little environments for her to explore. For now though, these bins provide lots of fun while engaging her sense. 

**Please be cautious with the use of essential oils as not all brands are created equal and not all oils are safe for children. If you have questions, I can do my best to help as I use oils on a regular basis and am passionate about them.