Despite the fact that your toddler has a bunch of wonderful and exciting toys, they’re complaining that there’s nothing to do! They don’t want to play with the 20 different puzzles you own or make a den out of the many cushions and blankets dotted about the living room. They’ve had a go at some arts and crafts, but they gave up on that fairly quickly, so what about a trip to the playground? They don’t fancy that either, and since it’s so cold, neither do you. You begin to rack your brain - Is there really nothing they’ll enjoy that will keep them busy?

That’s where the sensory bin comes in!

So what is a sensory bin?

A sensory bin is either a tub, bin, or bucket filled with a set of materials that a child can interact with for some tactile, hands-on learning. The container is usually filled with either dry rice, beans, cornmeal, couscous, or water, and various tools and utensils for open-ended play (cups, ice-cube trays, measuring jars, etc).

We know - that sounds like a whole lot of mess! Before we go through the details of setting up a sensory bin, let’s take a look at why they are so good for play.

Why are sensory bins so great for their learning?

Firstly, your kids will love them. Children of all ages from 12 months to 12 years old will enjoy playing with a sensory bin.

They teach life skills. Your child will learn to pour, measure, scoop, and transfer materials - things they’ll be doing all their lives.

Improve motor skills. The intricate hand movements involved in sensory bins will have your kids using and practising a lot of fine motor skills.

Basic science and maths. While they might not know it, they’ll be learning about weight, capacity, volume, and even about the properties of liquids and solids.

Dramatic and imaginary play. Sensory bins will encourage them to imagine, create, discuss, and invent all sorts of different games.

They’re absolutely fantastic for holding a child’s attention. With so many variations, not to mention the general sensory pleasure they’ll get from the activity, your child will be enraptured for hours on end.

They help teach your child self-control. Impulse control and self-control are important skills that sensory bins can help your children learn and improve.

So, now that you’re as excited about sensory bins as we are, you’re probably raring to go, and presumably wondering - How do I set up a sensory bin?!

How do I set up a sensory bin and keep things nice and tidy?

When it comes to setting up a sensory bin and keeping the space around it clean, it really comes down to three components:

The setup

Establishing the rules

Enforcing the rules

And that’s it! So let’s begin with the setup:

The setup

Find a generously-sized bin or bucket. Larger bins create less mess and allow for more variety.

Place a blanket down under the bin to create a clear boundary for play and make cleaning up a little easier.

Fill the bin with your choice of materials and you’re ready to go! Feel free to be creative with the combination materials you use, but great examples include dry rice, beans, pasta, oats, water, pom poms, measuring cups, leaves, petals, cotton pads, and even a small bit of food colouring! Just make sure to consider whether or not an item is a potential choking hazard.

Stay nearby while they play. After a while, you won’t need to be involved in their play, but it’s always a good idea to keep an eye out.

Plan the exit strategy. Your child may need a quick bath after play, and you’ll want to deal with putting the bin and its contents away, so plan the order and how you’ll go about it.

The rules

Sensory bins only require 3 rules, but they’ll need to be repeated before play and likely a few times during play:

No eating (to keep your toddler from putting the rice or cornmeal in their mouth).

No throwing (to keep your child from throwing the contents around).

No dumping (to keep them from dumping the contents outside the bin).

This way, it’s nice and easy to repeat, nice and easy to understand, and there’s no ambiguity. Have your kids repeat it back to you – “No eating. No throwing. No dumping.”

Enforcing the rules

Toddlers and babies like to taste the world around them and will inevitably place a handful of rice, or whatever happens to be in their bin, into their mouths. Don’t scold or lecture them. Simply say, “Yucky. We don’t eat the rice”, in a calm yet firm manner. If the sensory bin turns into an all-out feast, remove it and repeat, “No eating. We’ll try to play again later.” If you play with a sensory bin after a meal, your little one is less likely to try to eat the materials.

If they try to dump the rice outside the bin or throw it, place your hand on theirs and gently repeat that we don’t throw or dump. If things get a little out of hand, remove the bin without any drama and let them know you’ll try again tomorrow.

Gradually, after plenty of consistent, clear, and firm communication, your toddler will learn to oblige by the rules, helping to improve both their self-control and impulse control.

What is a sensory bin?

Unii share how to create a bin to support your toddler's speech and cognitive development.