First Sensory Bin

I finally got around to making Jackson a sensory bin.  He had a blast!  He asks to play in the "rice" every day!  I got my idea from Jada Roo Can Do, Andrea does a new bin EVERY month (sometimes twice) plus tons of other AWESOME preschool ideas.  The teacher in me is itching to make some felt mats, matching games, and other themed ideas.  The Mommy in me still likes my naps and a clean house. :)  Maybe in the future we can do more of her awesome ideas!  Andrea is also great about linking all of her projects to other super sites, so it's fun to browse (and waste time) looking at all the ideas other mommies have come up with!


I used just a plain bag of white rice (5lbs-- I used about 4 I think).  Inside I dumped a bag of dinosaur figures that I found at the local variety store (Horsfalls  in Lansing, it's a post all on it's own).  I also added a few "D" and some shapes to the bucket.  This bucket has a lid, but it does leak rice if you tip it, so I want to find something a little more "leak-proof".

 The tools are a variety of old cooking utensils (thanks, Grandma Donna), plastic tongs, and scoops.

 This is Jackson playing in his sensory tub with Grandma Jo (2nd time that day).  The rice does get all over the place, so you want to sweep it up as quick as you can.  But it does entertain them for a long time! 

 Jackson and his friend Hayden (see that Grandma Nola??) playing in the tub while the Mommies crafted (they are both sitting in it with their feet in the  rice)

See the floor?  That's what it  looks like after two  2 year olds step in a bucket of rice.   I didn't mind, because they were kept occupied for more than a 1/2 hour!   Jackson took out all the dinosaurs the next day and he used his tractors in the tub to "push the snow".  We have a lot of snow around these parts!

Such a fun and EASY activity!!  I am going to make another one for Valentine's Day... I have to get to a store that has pink/red pom-poms.  I want a different texture for this month!