Why Sensory Bins?

[Countrygal]

OK, I am very old-school and haven't even heard of sensory bins until opening the daycare this time around.

Can anyone tell me the purpose of these? I honestly am not thrilled with them. They seem terribly expensive to set up and messy to maintain. I saw one that had what must have been 35 dollars of coffee beans for the material in the bottom!

How do they accomplish more than the more traditional ways to explore senses like playdough, finger paints, sandpaper collages, nature collages, etc, etc.??

Can anyone link me to a webpage that explains to me why these are so much better? I'd really appreciate it.

[SunshineMama]

OK, I am very old-school and haven't even heard of sensory bins until opening the daycare this time around.

Can anyone tell me the purpose of these? I honestly am not thrilled with them. They seem terribly expensive to set up and messy to maintain. I saw one that had what must have been 35 dollars of coffee beans for the material in the bottom!

How do they accomplish more than the more traditional ways to explore senses like playdough, finger paints, sandpaper collages, nature collages, etc, etc.??

Can anyone link me to a webpage that explains to me why these are so much better? I'd really appreciate it.

Sensory bins are a great tool for children with SPD, and help them theraputically. The other things you mentioned are also great tools! Sensory bins are just another tool.


I do not have any children with SPD, but I use them for one reason:

The kids will play in them quietly for HOURS! Anything that give me hours of quiet time is awesome in my book! ::

[Countrygal]

My kids don't seem to like them. They love the playdough, finger paint, goop, goo and whatever they can manipulate with their hands. But I tried a sensory bin and they dipped their hands in, picked out each item to look at and said they were done. Every last one of them. I plan on trying a few more, but I'm a little frustrated. We are required to have sand and water play available, and a sensory bin is about the only way to do it when inside that I can see.

[SunshineMama]

My kids don't seem to like them. They love the playdough, finger paint, goop, goo and whatever they can manipulate with their hands. But I tried a sensory bin and they dipped their hands in, picked out each item to look at and said they were done. Every last one of them. I plan on trying a few more, but I'm a little frustrated. We are required to have sand and water play available, and a sensory bin is about the only way to do it when inside that I can see.

What is your set up for your sensory bin? I have a very large bin that I fill (sometimes I use a water table) with rice and beans, scoops, spoons, toys, pieces of cut up rope, popcicle sticks, seashells, etc. I put a big tarp under it so if there are any spills I can easily clean it up.
I put a bunch of zoo animals in it and a zookeeper, and they take the popcicle sticks and make cages and play zoo.

I dont know your kids ages are though. The kids that like it here are 17 months - 4 years.

[Blackcat31]

The purpose of sensory bins is for children to develop their senses. Sensory bins are usually filled with items that not only look cool, but feel and sometimes sound cool as well. Right there is visual, sensual and audible senses.

From toddlers to school aged children, a sensory bin can develop skills such as…
■Fine Motor (placing small objects into small areas, using tongs or tweezers to pick up objects)
■Transferring (moving objects from one container to another, i.e. pouring, scooping)
■Matching (colors, shapes, objects, etc.)
■Patterns (big, small, big, small or flower, butterfly, flower, butterfly, etc.)
■Counting (how many colors, shapes and amounts)
■Sorting and Classifying (into other objects such as ice cube trays, small buckets, egg platters)
■Specific skill recognition & reinforcement (colors, letters, shapes, themes, etc.)

Sensory bins can also just plain be fun! I honestly don't remember a time where I have filled a sensory bin with somehting and NOT had the urge to stick my own hands in and play with the stuff inside!

Sensory bins appeal to a child’s senses in a fun way and on many different levels!

I just went out and spent less than $8 on those water bead thngs Melskids was talking about and OMG! My kiddos cannot stop playing with them! THey absolutely LOVE them! They ask constantly when they can play! I am startign to think I could use it as a reward/consequence....LOL!! Even a couple of my parents could not resist sticking their hands in and playing around for a while.

[MrsB]

The purpose of sensory bins is for children to develop their senses. Sensory bins are usually filled with items that not only look cool, but feel and sometimes sound cool as well. Right there is visual, sensual and audible senses.

From toddlers to school aged children, a sensory bin can develop skills such as…
■Fine Motor (placing small objects into small areas, using tongs or tweezers to pick up objects)
■Transferring (moving objects from one container to another, i.e. pouring, scooping)
■Matching (colors, shapes, objects, etc.)
■Patterns (big, small, big, small or flower, butterfly, flower, butterfly, etc.)
■Counting (how many colors, shapes and amounts)
■Sorting and Classifying (into other objects such as ice cube trays, small buckets, egg platters)
■Specific skill recognition & reinforcement (colors, letters, shapes, themes, etc.)

Sensory bins can also just plain be fun! I honestly don't remember a time where I have filled a sensory bin with somehting and NOT had the urge to stick my own hands in and play with the stuff inside!

I have my hands in the sensory bin about as much as the kids do. Especially the water beads!

[Lianne]

Sensory bins can also just plain be fun! I honestly don't remember a time where I have filled a sensory bin with somehting and NOT had the urge to stick my own hands in and play with the stuff inside!

The other day a friend and I were remembering our mothers' button jars, or ice cream bucket in my mother's case. We both fondly remember burying our hands in the buttons and feeling them fall through our fingers like waterfalls. My friend guessed the kids in the Little House On The Prairie time period probably did the same thing, the very first sensory bin!

[Daycare Diva]

How do you keep the bins sanitary from day to day?

[Blackcat31]

How do you keep the bins sanitary from day to day?

All the kids are required to wash their hands before (and after) using the bins.

I would say 75% of the things I use in my sensory bins are dry and the other stuff that is wet, simply gets tossed sooner than the dry stuff.

You can kind of tell when the stuff needs to go....

[countrymom]

here is my sensory bin

https://www.daycare.com/forum/album.php?albumid=44

I hope it works, the first pictures are my crayon holder and the other pictures are my sensory bin, both things, I made dh make them for me. Right now I have rice in the sensory bin, but I have the water balls to put in them next. The kids love them.

[Meyou]

What is your set up for your sensory bin? I have a very large bin that I fill (sometimes I use a water table) with rice and beans, scoops, spoons, toys, pieces of cut up rope, popcicle sticks, seashells, etc. I put a big tarp under it so if there are any spills I can easily clean it up.
I put a bunch of zoo animals in it and a zookeeper, and they take the popcicle sticks and make cages and play zoo.

I dont know your kids ages are though. The kids that like it here are 17 months - 4 years.

OMG!! Best idea EVAH! happyface Thanks.

[Meyou]

I didn't spend much to do mine. I have rice and barley, pasta and cloud dough. My kids love them. I stock them with little cars, toilet paper tubes, hidden treasure (wooden beads, large sequins, googly eyes), cups, spoons, funnels and let them go.

I dyed my rice, barley and pasta with food coloring and a little rubbing alcohol into a rainbow of colors.

[Heidi]

With my kids tarp for spills would be useless. Some here are saying their children play with them for hours. From my experience with the sandbox (and the few times I've set up a sensory tub), my dc kids would dump everything on the floor asap.

I understand supervision is key, but I am really resistant to adding another item to my house that I have to supervise closely every second it's out, and giving the little guys more fodder to tease me and purposely dump it out (even knowing it will cost them use of the tub).

I recently visited one of my families, and saw for myself that the 3 1/2 yo had decorated her bedroom with permanent magic marker...the sheets, the windows, and the walls.

Sand is not even an option, although I might consider other materials. We have 5 year old hardwood floors, and there is no way I'd purposely bring sand near them!

So for the most part, sensory experiences are staying outside, except occasionally when I am in the mood to sit with them. I'm willing to consider a lot of thngs, but I guess I will have to score lower on the FCCER's on this one.

[Blackcat31]

With my kids tarp for spills would be useless. Some here are saying their children play with them for hours. From my experience with the sandbox (and the few times I've set up a sensory tub), my dc kids would dump everything on the floor asap.

I understand supervision is key, but I am really resistant to adding another item to my house that I have to supervise closely every second it's out, and giving the little guys more fodder to tease me and purposely dump it out (even knowing it will cost them use of the tub).

I recently visited one of my families, and saw for myself that the 3 1/2 yo had decorated her bedroom with permanent magic marker...the sheets, the windows, and the walls.

Sand is not even an option, although I might consider other materials. We have 5 year old hardwood floors, and there is no way I'd purposely bring sand near them!

So for the most part, sensory experiences are staying outside, except occasionally when I am in the mood to sit with them. I'm willing to consider a lot of thngs, but I guess I will have to score lower on the FCCER's on this one.

I have small sensory bins (Rubbermaid containers with lids) and let the kids use them indivually at the table where I can see and monitor them closely. Keeps the mess contained and still counts toward FCCER's.

[cheerfuldom]

I don't use them for any specific reason other than that they are fun to max! Even the babies like scooping rice (under close supervision!)