Valentine’s Day Sensory Bin

Happy almost February!  I have always loved the month of February.  The colors, the kindness, and the fun holiday activities always keep me in a good mood.  I wanted to share today a very simply Valentine’s Day Sensory Bin that you can set out for your little ones at home or in the classroom that can be used throughout the entire month of February.

Sensory bins are one of my favorite activities to do with my daughter, 2 1/2, because it engages all of her senses, allows her to explore different textures that she may have originally been cautious of, and encourages independent play.  My goal as her mother and first teacher is always to find new ways to engage her in independent play and expose her to new skills and experiences.  This Valentine’s Day sensory bin will be used throughout the month in our home first as a way to get excited about the holiday and the month, then to use with color sorting cards, other academic skill cards throughout the month, and finally as a tool for independent play.

Usually, when I introduce a new sensory bin to her, we take some time exploring the new materials, discussing the colors and textures, and then just having me step back and letting her play.  I usually add a few spoons, scoopers, and bowls for initial play before I get into any academic skills.

For this Valentine’s Day sensory bin I used two different dried beans for the filler this time that I have yet to use and I love how it came out.  I picked up two bags of dry red beans from the grocery store and one large bag of white pinto beans.  I alternated them when I filled them into the large plastic tub that I have.  Once the beans were settled in the bottom of the bin I added in different sized Valentine’s Day colored pom-poms.  I can’t wait to use these to discuss different sizes with Little Miss and maybe even order some from smallest to largest.  I then added pink, purple, red, and white colored acrylic gems to give the bin a little sparkle.  The final touches to this sensory bin were a pink scooper, heart shaped silicone ice trays that I would like for her to practice scooping into, and then Valentine’s themed cookie cutters that I purchased from the dollar spot at Target.

Setting this Valentine’s Day sensory bin up took no time at all and I am confident it will be a hit throughout the month of February!  I will be using this sensory bin to pair with my February Learn and Play Activity Guide for 2-3 year olds.  The FREE resource guide with helpful links, a standards-based play guide, book recommendations, and comprehension question list will be sent out at the beginning of each month.

If you would like to receive your own copy, sign up for my mailing list here!

I hope you enjoy this Valentine’s Day sensory bin and it keeps you and your little ones playing and learning together all month long!

Materials Used For This Bin:

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