25 DIY Sensory Bin ideas for Toddlers

Looking for simple sensory bins to keep your toddler busy and learning?

Sensory play is one of those activities that toddlers naturally love. Give them some water, oats, ice, or even a handful of leaves, and they’re usually happy to touch, scoop, pour, and explore.

I love sensory bins because they’re easy to put together and you can use things you already have at home. You can also change each activity to match what your toddler is learning.

What Are the Benefits of Sensory Play?

•  Builds fine motor skills
•  Encourages problem-solving
• Supports early language and vocabulary
•  Builds hand-eye coordination
• Encourages independent play
• Can be calming and relaxing

These activities focus mostly on tactile sensory play, meaning your toddler gets to explore different textures with their hands.

Every child is different, so let your toddler explore at their own pace. Always supervise sensory play, especially with materials that could be put in the mouth.

Edible/Taste-Safe Sensory Bin Activities

1. Dandelion Sensory Bin

Materials:

•  Dandelions
•  Water
•  Sensory bin
•  Cups
•  Spoons

Prep:

Rinse clean, pesticide-free dandelions and place them in a bin with a little water. Add cups and spoons.

What will they do?

Pick up the flowers, squeeze them, scoop them, and move the flowers around.

What will they learn?

• Fine motor skills
•  Hand-eye coordination
•  Nature awareness
•  Texture

2. Ice Sensory Bin

Materials:

•  Ice cubes
•  Water
• Bin
•  Cups
• Spoons

Prep:

Add ice and a little water to a shallow bin. Place cups and spoons nearby.

What will they do?

Touch, scoop, move, and watch the ice melt.

What will they learn?

•  Temperature awareness
•  Fine motor skills
•  Cause and effect
• Early science
•  Observation

3. Pouring Water Sensory Bin

Materials:

• Water
•  Bin
•  Cups
•  Bowls
•  Small pitcher

Prep:

Add a little water to the bin and place different-sized cups and bowls inside.

What will they do?

Fill, pour, empty, and refill the containers. Expect a few spills!

What will they learn?

•  Pouring skills
•  Hand-eye coordination
•  Fine motor control
• Understanding full and empty

4. Wild Rose Sensory Bin

Materials:

• Rose petals
•  Water
•  Bin
•  Cups
•  Spoons

Prep:

Rinse clean, pesticide-free rose petals and add them to a bin with a little water.

What will they do?

Touch, smell, squeeze, scoop, and transfer the petals.

What will they learn?

•  Sensory awareness
• Fine motor skills
• Texture recognition
• Nature exploration

5. One-Ingredient Moon Sand

Materials:

• Plain flour
•  Bin
• Cups
•  Spoons
• Large toys

Prep:

Pour the flour into a m bin and add a few cups, spoons, and large toys.

What will they do?

Scoop, pour, squeeze, and search for hidden toys.

What will they learn?

•  Fine motor skills
• Hand strength
• Hand-eye coordination
• Sensory exploration
•  Problem-solving

6. Corn Sensory Bin

Materials:

• Soft cooked corn
• Bins
• Cups
• Spoons
•  Bowls

Prep:

Cook the corn until soft, allow it to cool completely and place it in the bin.

What will they do?

Pick up, scoop, squeeze, and transfer the corn between containers.

What will they learn?

•  Fine motor skills
• Pincer grasp
• Hand-eye coordination
•  Texture awareness
•  Scooping skills

7. Oats and Toys

Materials:

• Plain oats
•  Bin
• Toys
• Cups
• Spoons

Prep:

Pour the oats into a bin and add a few of your toddler’s favorite large toys.

What will they do?

Scoop the oats, move them between containers, and bury and find the toys.

What will they learn?

• Fine motor skills
•  Scooping and pouring
•  Hand-eye coordination
• Object permanence
•  Problem-solving

8. Water and Toys

Materials:

•  Water
•  Bin
• Water-safe toys
•  Cups
• Spoons

Prep:

Add a little water to the bin and place a few water-safe toys inside.

What will they do?

Splash, scoop, pour, and move the toys around the water.

What will they learn?

• Fine motor skills
•  Cause and effect
•  Water exploration
• Hand-eye coordination

9. Bubble Wrap Edible Paint

Materials:

•  Bubble wrap
• Plain yogurt
•  Food coloring
• White paper
• Tape

Prep:

Tape bubble wrap to a table. Mix a little food coloring into plain yogurt and place small amounts on the bubble wrap.

What will they do?

Press, smear, squish, and spread the yogurt with their fingers.

What will they learn?

• Fine motor skills
•  Finger strength
•  Texture awareness
• Creative exploration

10. Cookie Sheet Sensory Play

Materials:

•  Cookie sheet
• Plain yogurt
•  Food coloring
•  Spoon

Prep:

Spread a thin layer of yogurt over the cookie sheet and add a few dots of colored yogurt.

What will they do?

Use their fingers or spoon to make lines, circles, and swirls.

What will they learn?

• Pre-writing skills
• Fine motor control
• Finger strength
• Hand-eye coordination
• Early mark-making

11. Cereal Sensory Bin

Materials:

• Toddler-safe cereal
•  Bin
• Cups
• Bowls
•  Spoons

Prep:

Pour cereal into the bin and add a few kitchen tools.

What will they do?

Scoop, pour, pick up, and transfer the cereal between containers.

What will they learn?

•  Fine motor skills
• Pincer grasp
• Hand-eye coordination
•  Cause and effect

Water Sensory Bins for Toddlers

12. Wash the Dishes Sensory Bin

Materials:

•  Water
• Plastic dishes
• Cups
•  Small sponge
• Towel

Prep:

Add warm water and a few clean plastic dishes to the bin.

What will they do?

Wash, rinse, and dry the dishes just like they see you doing at home.

What will they learn?

•  Fine motor skills
•  Practical life skills
•  Imitation
• Sequencing
•  Independence

13. Swamp Sensory Bin

Materials:

•  Water
•  Bin
•  Clean leaves
•  Toy animals
• Cups

Prep:

Add a little water, clean leaves, and toy animals to the bin.

What will they do?

Move the animals through the water and explore the leaves.

What will they learn?

• Fine motor skills
• Animal recognition
• Nature exploration
•  Imaginative play

14. Squash Sensory Bin

Materials:

•  Cooked squash
• Water
•  Bin
•  Cups
• Spoons

Prep:

Cook the squash until soft and allow it to cool. Add it to the bin with a little water.

What will they do?

Touch, squeeze, scoop, and transfer the squash.

What will they learn?

•  Fine motor skills
•  Hand strength
• Texture awareness
•  Sensory exploration

15. Break the Ice

Materials:

•  Large ice blocks
•  Warm water
•  Bin
•  Toys
•  Cups

Prep:

Freeze toys inside ice blocks. Place them in a shallow bin with warm water.

What will they do?

Pour water over the ice and watch it melt to reveal the toys.

What will they learn?

•  Early science
•  Cause and effect
•  Observation
•  Problem-solving
• Patience

16. Bubbles and Toys

Materials:

• Water
•  Bin
• Toys
• Cups
• Bubble solution

Prep:

Add water, toys, and a small amount of bubble solution to the bin.

What will they do?

Find the toys through the bubbles, scoop them out, and pop the bubbles.

What will they learn?

•  Fine motor skills
• Visual tracking
• Hand-eye coordination
•  Cause and effect

17. Car Wash Sensory Bin

Materials:

• Water
•  Toy cars
•  Sponge
•  Cups
•  Towel

Prep:

Add water and toy cars to the bin. Place a sponge and towel nearby.

What will they do?

Wash, rinse, and dry the cars.

What will they learn?

• Fine motor skills
• Pretend play
•  Sequencing
• Practical life skills
•  Hand-eye coordination

18. Rainbow Ice Sensory Bin

Materials:

•  Water
•  Ice
• Food coloring
•  Bin
• Cups
•  Spoons

Prep:

Freeze ice in different colors using small amounts of food coloring. Place the colored ice in a bin with water.

What will they do?

Touch, scoop, move, and watch the colorful ice melt.

What will they learn?

• Color recognition
• Fine motor skills
• Early science
•  Observation
•  Cause and effect

Miscellaneous Sensory Bins for Toddlers

19. Slime with Add-Ins

Materials:

• Toddler-safe slime alternative
•  Bin
• Large toys
•  Cups
• Spoons

Prep:

Place the slime in a bin with a few large, safe toys.

What will they do?

Squeeze, stretch, press, and pull the slime while exploring the toys.

What will they learn?

•  Hand strength
•  Fine motor skills
•  Sensory awareness
• Hand-eye coordination
• Problem-solving

20. Two-Ingredient Cloud Dough

Materials:

•  Plain flour
• Cooking oil
• Bin
•  Cups
• Spoons

Prep:

Mix flour with a small amount of cooking oil until it becomes soft and crumbly.

What will they do?

Squeeze, crumble, scoop, and pour the dough.

What will they learn?

•  Fine motor skills
•  Hand strength
•  Texture exploration
• Scooping skills
•  Hand-eye coordination

21. Acorn Sensory Bin

Materials:

• Bins
•  Large clean acorns
•  Dry leaves
•  Cups
•  Spoons
•  Bowls

Prep:

Use only clean, intact materials that are safe for your child’s age. Add the acorns and leaves to the bin.

What will they do?

Pick, sort, and transfer the natural materials.

What will they learn?

• Fine motor skills
• Nature awareness
•  Texture recognition
•  Sorting
• Observation

22. Pumpkin Patch Sensory Table

Materials:

• Cooked pumpkin
•  Bin
•  Large toy pumpkins
•  Cups
• Spoons

Prep:

Spread cooled pumpkin across the bottom of the bin and add large toy pumpkins and a few scooping tools.

What will they do?

Touch, scoop, spread, and transfer the pumpkin while moving the toy pumpkins around.

What will they learn?

• Fine motor skills
•  Hand strength
• Texture awareness
• Scooping
•  Hand-eye coordination

23. Leaf Sensory Bin

Materials:

•  Clean dry leaves
•  Bins
•  Cups
•  Bowls
•  Spoons

Prep:

Collect clean leaves and check them carefully before placing them in a shallow bin.

What will they do?

Pick up, crumble, squeeze, and transfer the leaves.

What will they learn?

•  Fine motor skills
•  Nature exploration
• Texture awareness
•  Observation

24. Tissue Paper Sensory Bin

Materials:

• Large pieces of tissue paper
• Bin
•  Cups
• Bowls
• Large toys

Prep:

Tear tissue paper into large pieces and place them in the shallow bin. Add cups and bowls for scooping.

What will they do?

Scrunch, squeeze, pick up, and move the paper and hide toys under the paper.

What will they learn?

• Fine motor skills
• Hand strength
• Texture exploration
• Object permanence

25. Mud Painting

Materials:

• Clean soil
•  Water
•  Tray
•  Paintbrushes
•  Paper

Prep:

Mix clean soil with water until it becomes a paint-like consistency. Place it in a shallow tray with paper and a paintbrush.

What will they do?

Dip the brush into the mud and make lines, dots, swirls, and other marks.

What will they learn?

•  Pre-writing skills
• Fine motor control
•  Hand-eye coordination
• Cause and effect
• Creative expression

Easy Items for Sensory Bins You May Have at Home

• Oats
• Dry rice
•  Pasta
• Cereal
•  Flour
•  Water
• Ice
• Tissue paper
•  Cooked vegetables
• Plastic containers

Easy Tools to Add to Sensory Bins

•  Ladles
•  Tongs
•  Spoons
•  Cups
•  Bowls
• Strainers
• Potato mashers
• Small pitchers
•  Sponges
• Paintbrushes
•  Sometimes I add in nothing and just let them use their hands

Safety reminder: Always supervise sensory play closely. Check materials for age appropriateness and choking hazards, especially for younger toddlers who still mouth objects.