Sensory Bin Ideas for Toddlers

Toddlers learn about the world around them through exploration and sensory play activities invite kids to do just that! Sensory play calms and focuses kids. It builds fine motor skills as they practice pouring, sifting, squeezing and scooping the materials. And it also sparks imagination and excitement.

The combination of art and sensory play is especially appealing to toddlers in part, I think, because its very nature encourages young kids to touch it, squeeze it, sift it, and yes – even taste it.

With that in mind, this toddler sensory play list contains mostly materials that are taste safe, meaning totally non-toxic and ok if swallowed (with the exception of bubble foam & kinetic sand).

How To Keep The Mess Manageable…

It helps to have some ground rules. For example, when I have put together a sensory table, there is usually an old sheet or tablecloth underneath it to make clean-up easy. Even with the best intentions, some materials will be spilled and at the end of the play session these can easily be poured off the sheet back into the bin. Which brings me nicely to ‘The Bin‘.

This is what keeps the activity contained and I personally feel it’s a must have. You can use a big clear plastic bin or you might splurge and go for an IKEA table with accompanying bins.

The guidelines I go by are the materials must stay in the bin, if they can’t, you try the activity again later. And finally, some sensory materials involve too much clean-up for indoors (ahem, children covered in cloud dough). So, be sure to save those for warm sunny days outside.

6 Sensory Bin Ideas For Toddlers (2 Yrs)

1. Water Play

This one is so simple but draws kids in every time. Add a few drops of food colouring, some flowers, toys or recycled lids. Kids love to strain materials.

2. Cloud Dough

Kids just love cloud dough and did you know, it’s super easy to make? Check out this simple recipe HERE! After a while the cloud dough might be ready for composting, but before that – let your kids add water and cocoa powder (or food colouring) to create mud or cement. Add a few trucks to the mix and watch their creative play emerge.

3. Aquafaba

This play foam is taste safe making it the perfect toddler sensory material. It’s made from chickpea liquid and cream of tartar whipped together.

4. Bubble Foam

Take water play to a whole new level by mixing a squeeze of bubble bath with water and beating it until some VERY foamy bubbles appear. (Use the biggest bowl you have for this one.) Bubble foam is 1 part (tear free) bubble bath to 2 parts water. It’s great for car washes, baby doll baths, scrubbing dinosaurs or even scrubbing a pumpkin!

5. Rice Table

It’s easy to dye your own rice with liquid watercolours (or food colouring). I enjoy putting expired rice in a Ziploc bag, squirting the dye in with it and then zipping the bag securely closed. Shake to incorporate the colour well and spread the rice out on a baking sheet to dry. When stored in a cool, dry place, coloured rice will keep for years! Add pom poms, scoopers, vessels and other fun additions to encourage creative play for kids.

6. Oobleck

Simply a mix of cornstarch and water, oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid and on its own is fascinating for children. Add construction vehicles, strainers, berry containers, colanders for exciting exploration of this sensory material.