Holiday Sensory Bins

Capture the holidays in three sensory bins your child can touch, smell, and even taste

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Hot Chocolate Sensory Bin

Besides the amazing smell of chocolate, this sensory bin works because of the use of contrast. Choose cups and utensils so their colors pop against the dark brown of the cereal. A metal bowl will also create more sound and reflection when the contents of the bin are stirred. Once you assemble this bin, let your child have fun stirring, scooping, and pouring the mixture, counting balls of cereal, or squishing the marshmallows. You can even eat the cereal!

Ingredients:

One box of Cocoa Puffs cereal
One 16-oz. bag of mini marshmallows
Two paper coffee cups or plastic cups
A plastic measuring cup
A set of plastic or metal measuring spoons
A wire whisk
A clear plastic bin or metal bowl

Candy Cane Water Play

Playing with water can be a very soothing activity. Adding candy canes or Starlight mints makes the water look and smell like the holidays, and the red and white pattern of the candies provides just enough visual contrast, especially if your bin is white. So as not to overwhelm your child with the smell of mint, just add a few candies to the warm water at a time. Squeeze bottles make it fun to squirt more liquid or color to the mixture, and for a child who’s hesitant to put their hands in the bin, they’re easier to introduce a child to the concept of wet and dry. As you add more water to the bin, be sure to talk about what you’re doing and the sound the water makes as it splashes in the bin. Wash your child’s hands after this activity because they might be sticky!

Ingredients:

Peppermint candies – various shapes and sizes (round Starlight mints, candy canes, peppermint sticks)
Warm water
Two squeeze bottles – one filled with plain water and one with plain water and red food coloring
A dash of peppermint extract (optional)
A clear or white plastic bin or bowl

Christmas Bows Sensory Bin

This sensory bin is so easy! You can either fill a small bin with bows that your child can touch with their hands or feet, or a larger tub or laundry basket that your child can sit in. The shiny, bright colors of the bows are very appealing to children with visual impairments. Peel the backs off a couple of the bows and stick the bows on your child’s body parts – feet, tummy, or hands. Ask your child, “Can you find the bow on your toes?” Or just let your child explore the stickiness of the bow. Be sure to supervise this activity because bows have tiny staples that can accidentally go into little mouths.

Ingredients:

A variety of adhesive-backed Christmas bows in different colors and sizes
A plastic bin, tub or laundry basket