Spring time is already here! Can you believe it? What better way to kick off the spring time weather than with a garden sensory bin with your littles. Today I have 3 different ways to make a garden sensory bin so you are bound to have the materials already at home to try at least one of them!
The Idea for each bin will be the same, I just have 3 different ideas for fillers and materials to use so feel free to mix and match ideas as well.
Items Needed
- 2 Medium Bins / Sensory Table
- Small Flower Pots
- Small Gardening Tools
- Choice of Bin Fillers
Moon Dough Dirt and Artificial Flowers
To make the moon dough, for this you will need:
- Flour
- Cocoa Powder
- Cooking Oil
You want to bake the flour on a baking sheet with parchment paper for about 5 minutes at 315° this kills any live bacteria that maybe in the flour incase your child decides to taste it at all. Measurements may vary based on how much you want to make but it should always be 3 parts cooked flour, cooled and then mixed with 1 part cooking oil. When mixing, add in a sprinkle of cocoa powder to make it look like dirt.
Add your moon dough dirt into one of your bins with your pots, then add your tools and artificial flowers in the other one and show your toddler how to plant their flowers. Watch as they get creative making arrangements and exploring the textures with the moon dough.
Black Beans and Crafted Flowers
This one takes the most prep but may also be the most fun. The morning of or even the day before you want to try this bin out with your littles, make some homemade flowers. You can really get creative with this and have a lot of fun with your kids. Use materials like popsicle sticks or pipe cleaners for the stems, and construction paper or foam sheets for the flower. You can have the paint these, color them or just leave them as is.
Add a few bags of black beans to a bin as your dirt along with your pots. Put your crafted flowers and gardening tools in the other one. This bin can be put together in a minutes time and your toddler will love it. The beans may be a choking hazard if your toddler is still putting things in their mouth so can can definitely use the moon dough recipe above with your crafted flowers as well.
Plant Real Flowers Together
The most simple and affordable way to make a garden sensory bin, plant real flowers!
You can either get flowers of your choice and help your toddler practice their gentle hands transferring it to a pot or you can get seeds and make it a fun responsibility for them to have to water it and watch it grow. Either way it is a great sensory and learning experience.
What bin will you be trying out this spring with your kids? Tell us below in the comments!