9 Fall Sensory Bins Your Child Will Love Discovering

Have you ever used sensory bins with your little ones? They are a great tool to promote learning naturally with imaginative play. My favorite thing about sensory bins though is that they keep my little guys occupied and entertained. ?

These fall sensory bins are easy to put together and many of them re-use items too. Set your child up at the table with one of these fall sensory bins on a chilly, fall evening while you’re preparing dinner and watch them enjoy discovering the different textures and items.

A note about sensory bins: You know your children better than anyone be sure to only use items that are age appropriate for them. 

Rake the Leaves

Supplies:

• Real of Fake Leaves
• Toy Rake or Fork
• Container

Put the leaves into a container, a 6 quart plastic container works well for sensory bins but you could also use a bigger container. Place a fork or a toy rake in with the leaves and encourage your child to rake the leaves.

Pumpkin Pie

Supplies:

• Orange Play Dough
• Pumpkin Pie Spice (Optional)
• Tin Pie Plate
• Rolling Pin
• Plastic Knife

If you choose to add pumpkin pie spice to your play dough sprinkle some on top and knead it into the play dough. Set out all the supplies on the table and ask your child to make you some pumpkin pie.

Apple Pie

Supplies:

• Red or Green Pom Poms
• Tin Pie Plate
• Tweezers
• Brown Felt (cut into strips)

Set all the supplies out. Show your child how to use tweezers to grab the pom poms and transfer them to the pie plate. After the pom poms are transferred they can use the brown felt strips to make the crust.

Pumpkin Patch

Supplies:

• Orange Play Dough
• Green Shredded Paper 
• Container

Put the shredded paper in the container to make a pumpkin patch. Encourage your child to roll play dough in balls to make pumpkins and then place them in the pumpkin patch.

Picking Pumpkins

Supplies:

• Pumpkin Shaped Candy
• Rice
• Green Food Coloring
• Vinegar
• Gallon Sized Ziploc Bag
• Plastic Container
• Tool for Picking the Pumpkins

To make the green rice:

1. Fill a gallon sized Ziploc bag half full of rice.
2. Add about 6 drops of green food coloring and a tablespoon of vinegar.
3. Seal the bag and then shake it until the rice is coated with the food coloring. (Add more food coloring and shake again if you would like darker rice.)

Put the sensory bin together:

Pour the rice into the container. Then place the candy pumpkins on top to look like a pumpkin patch. Set a tool or scoop to pick up the pumpkins from the patch in the container.

Fall Squash

Supplies:

• Fall Squash
• Green Rice
• Container

Squash comes in all different shapes and has a variety of textures for your child to discover. Place some fall squash in the container of green rice from the Pumpkin Picking sensory bin and let your child have fun exploring the different textures.

Leaves and Letters

Supplies:

• Real or Fake Leaves
• Letters (from a puzzle or magnet letters)
• Container

Mix the leaves and letters in a container, somewhat hiding the letters among the leaves. Challenge your child to find all of the letters.

Scoop the Cranberries

Supplies:

• Raw Cranberries
• Water
• Container
• Slotted Spoon
• Bowl

Fill the container half full of water. Then pour the cranberries in the water. Let your child have fun transferring the cranberries from the water to the bowl using the slotted spoon. (Sensory bins that involve water are always a big hit.)

Corn 

With it’s distinct color and unique texture, corn can be great for sensory projects. This corn challenge post from Preschool Powol Packets has some fun ideas for using corn kernels in a sensory bin.