Halloween Sensory Bin
Looking for fun Halloween activities for preschoolers and toddlers? Create a Halloween sensory bin! Here’s how!
Admittedly, I was reluctant to jump on the sensory bin movement. It seems most toddler and preschooler parents are diving into this movement! Every single parent I know who decided to start creating sensory bins has raved about it.
It has evolved to include a lot of themes and creative play. And themed sensory bins are like magic to little kids seeking some sensory exploration during their play time! As someone who loves Halloween, I knew a Halloween theme would be the best place to start for a sensory table. And let me tell you, after you watch your kids enjoy sensory activities and work on their fine motor development while they have so much fun, you’ll never go back!
So if you’re on the fence, come join in and create a Halloween sensory bin.
What is a sensory bin?
A sensory bin (also known as a sensory tray) is a dedicated space for preschoolers and toddlers to play. And it does just what it claims to: it helps stimulate the senses in a bowl or plastic storage bin.
It typically includes a filler they can move around and explore, and several items to play with, work on, and experiment with. A great sensory bin usually includes: filler, tools, and items to play with.
What Age Group Enjoys Sensory Bins?
This is the beauty of them, I’ve seen adults stop to calmly move around sensory play items! They are ideal for toddlers with items that are taste-safe and not chokeable. Preschoolers adore them and really get into the play. But my kindergartner can’t resist sometimes playing with them too! They’re just great hands-on learning through play items for younger kids of all ages!
Halloween Sensory Bin Ideas
How does one go about making a fun Halloween sensory bin? What are some fun items to include in a Halloween sensory bin? Here are tons of ideas to help you create your child’s favorite Halloween sensory bin yet!
Large Bin:
Start with a large bin that can contain the mess and sensory fun. I’d recommend a square or rectangular storage container with a lid. This makes it easy to clean, easy to store, and easy to clean out and start again when you’re ready for the next season!
Filler:
We went with dyed rice/colored rice for a fun texture and cheap filler. Let me be the first to tell you, this used to intimidate me greatly. Then I realized it’s just rice with a few drops of food coloring and hand sanitizer mixed in a gallon freezer bag.
Dyed Rice Instructions:
Just grab that Ziplock bag, add a few cups of rice, and top with some food coloring and a few pumps of hand sanitizer. Shake it up until the rice is well coated. We found some colors took little effort, like dyeing the rice orange. But some took a few extra drops and shakes, like dying the rice black.
It dries in about an hour (at least in warm AZ). From there, it’s a cheap and easy filler.
Try Halloween colors like orange, black, green, and purple.
*Note: You can sub out the hand sanitizer for a few Tablespoons of vinegar. It works well, too!
*Note: This works the same with pasta! You can dye dried pasta, spaghetti noodles, or other grains using this same method!
Other filler ideas:
- Black Beans
- Shredded paper
- Kinetic sand
- Water beads
- Water with food coloring (for outside play)
- Shaving cream dyed a spooky color
Tools:
My mom picked up these skeleton salad tongs years ago, and they have been our favorite thing!
We also added some small serving tongs, a small glass for scooping, and a small silicone spoon to scoop filler with. You could try any variation of kid-safe items to explore with. Cooking utensils, plastic tweezers, sand toys, etc., are all fun ideas for tools.
Anything little hands can play with, dig with, scoop with, or explore with works well!
Halloween Items to Include:
There’s no wrong choice here; grab some fun age-appropriate things to bury, dig up, and play with. We love the Dollar Store, Amazon, the Target spot, and Dollar Tree to find a few fun items. Here are a few of our favorites and some Halloween sensory bin ideas to complete your spooky sensory bin theme.
- Plastic spider rings
- Plastic spiders or stretchy spiders
- Googly eyes
- Plastic eyeballs
- Halloween colored pom-poms
- Plastic Bats
- Tiny skulls
- Plastic witch fingers
- Small witches’ cauldron
- Miniature plastic pumpkins
- Small Halloween figurines
- Containers with baking soda, vinegar, and droppers or pouring contains to make magic potions or witch’s brew chemistry experiments
You can really get creative and do whatever you think your kids will enjoy! A little variety is always a good idea, too! There’s no right or wrong answer. The idea is to help them enjoy a spooky sensory bin and learn a lot of fine motor skills while they have a blast with a little sensory play and creativity. We hope you and your kids feel empowered to make one, play with one, and enjoy the beauty of sensory play!
Photos by Chrissy Blake, who also happens to be the sensory play queen and sells pre-made sensory bins at Out of the Box Play.
