Winter Sensory Bin

If your sensory bin inspiration has hit a snag, don’t you worry! We have got an amazing Winter Sensory Bin for toddlers and preschoolers that you can put together in a flash, and the little ones will love it! Don't forget to grab our winter printables to use with it! 

Sensory play is one of the greatest superweapons in our activity kits as parents. It's a goldmine of opportunities for your child to strengthen motor skills, improve their vocabulary, and of course, their imagination!  

Working with themes is also a wonderful way to ensure your little one will love their sensory bin! In this case, we decided to go for a winter theme. 

We used our winter printables and laminated them to enhance the whole sensory experience, along with some common household items that fit perfectly for this theme.

And thanks to the interactive way sensory bins work, your kids won't get bored easily playing with this winter themed sensory activity - a win-win if you ask me!

More sensory bins with printables:

• Fall Sensory Bin
• Spring Sensory Bin
• Valentines Sensory Bin
• Leaf Sensory Bin
• Summer Sensory Bin

Looking for more sensory bin or winter activity ideas? Check some of our favorite Sensory Bins and while you're at it, have a look at these awesome Winter Activities for kids!

If you have any cotton balls left after playing with your winter sensory bin you could use them to make a cotton ball snowman. 

How to Make a Winter Sensory Bin for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Winter Sensory Bin - Supplies:

• Small Tray
• Tweezers
• Cotton balls
• Winter sensory bin printables 
• Other winter-themed items (scroll down for some ideas)

Winter Sensory Play

STEP 1: Set up your winter sensory bin:

First things first, you will need to spend a few minutes setting up your winter sensory bin! Get all your supplies in order and start by filling up a small tray with your cotton balls. 

Now, add a selection of other winter themed items to your sensory bin. Try to add white items that go along with the winter theme, like white pom poms, small wooden people, and white q-tips. Mirrors are fun to include too, we went with our number mirrors. 

Of course, don’t forget to get our winter sensory bin printable, cut out and laminate each shape and add it to the tray. The winter images included in our printable pack are a snowman, snowflake, winter hat, mittens, hot cocoa and a winter coat.

You can lay the printable shapes on top of the sensory bin once all the other items are in it or hide them under the cotton balls to make your little one work on finding each shape.

As well as cutting out and laminating each shape, you may want to print off a second page of images to use for matching the winter shapes.  There is also a black and white page of the images (not pictured) that your toddler or preschooler could use to colour in the winter items as they find them. 

Also, include some tweezers in your winter sensory bin so your toddler can pick up and move around all the items.

STEP 2: Use your winter printables.

Now you have set up your winter sensory bin it is time to play! Encourage your toddler or preschooler to hunt for the winter images and pick them up using their fingers or a pair of tweezers. Discuss the image; what colour is it, has your toddler seen it before? 

Once your toddler or preschooler has picked up the winter picture see if they can match it with the corresponding picture on the winter printable. 

Ollie (aged 2) had a lot of fun with this, he loved pretending to put it on the wrong shape to see my reaction! 

Once they have matched up all of the winter shapes encourage your toddler or preschooler to hide them again in the sensory bin so they can repeat the activity. 

The printables are also great to include in play, cup of hot cocoa anyone! 

If you’re feeling outdoorsy and want to give this activity a fun spin, you can always use our printable shapes to set your little ones on a hunt outdoors to find them!

STEP 3: Play!

For playtime, not only can you use the winter printables, you toddler can have a lot of fun with all the sensory items. 

They can sort items into groups and pick them up using fine motor tools.

Let them use their imagination as they play with the cotton balls, mirrors, and wooden people.

You can even add to the fun by adding some additional trucks and animal toys to your winter sensory bin!

Get your Winter Sensory Bin Printables Here

Putting this sensory bin for toddlers and preschoolers together is so easy-peasy, right? We hope you (and your little one!) have tons of fun bonding with this sensory winter bin!

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