A winter themed sensory bin is the perfect thing for when those extra cold and snowy days hit. Kids can get a little stir crazy inside all day and sensory bins are a fun way to keep them happy, learning, and loving winter time!
This post is all about winter themed sensory bin ideas for the little ones in your life to burn off a little steam and learn a whole lot.
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What is a Sensory Bin?
A sensory bin is just like how it sounds. It is simply a bin filled with items that stimulate the five senses (taste, hearing, sight, smell, touch). Often these items go together for a specific theme or concept to help children learn about the topic through their senses. And many sensory bins can be made with things lying around your house too!
Why a Winter Themed Sensory Bin?
Winter inevitably means less time outside which can lead to antsy kiddos who’ve been cooped up inside. And as winter drags on, you’ll probably start to run out of ideas to do inside. These winter themed sensory bin ideas are a great way to stay busy that are easy and don’t cost a fortune either.
Winter Themed Sensory Bin Ideas
1. Taste Safe Snow
With only four ingredients this taste safe snow is incredibly easy to make, moldable, and safe if it does end up in their mouths on occasion.
Source | MOTHERCOULD
2. Ice Painting Bin
This may just be the easiest activity out there to set up. And if you want clean up to be easy to, I highly suggest these kids’ painting aprons that are machine washable!
Source | Modern Preschool
3. Arctic Habitat
This artic habitat is a great way to incorporate science and social studies into play time. If you have blue food coloring and a muffin pan to make a few “icebergs,” all you’ll need to buy is a few blue craft gems and a few artic animals.
Source | Fun Learning for Kids
4. Gingerbread Cloud Dough
Cloud dough, sometimes called “moon sand,” feels like flour at first but molds like sand when you squeeze it! It smells amazing too!
Source | Toddler Approved
5. Penguin Sensory Bin with Frozen Water Beads
Frozen water beads are a fun twist for this penguin sensory bin. Pair this with a fun educational video about penguins for a fun and simple indoor winter activity!
Source | Views from a Step Stool
6. Ornament Scoop
With plastic ornaments from the Dollar Store, two small totes, and a pasta server your toddler can get great practice with fine motor skills and have a blast too!
Source | Toddler Approved
7. Candy Cane Peppermint Shaving Cream
This sensory activity is inexpensive and quick to make! However, I do highly recommend playing with this in the bath tub or putting down a clear shower liner to make clean up quick too.
Source | Learn Play Imagine
8. Jingle Bells Sensory Bin
Play some jingle bell rock, grab a magnet wand and some bells, and dig out those cookie cutters for quite literally days of fun.
Source | Turner Tots
9. Christmas Colors Sensory Bin
If you don’t have the supplies for the other sensory bins on this list, you can easily create your own red and green sensory bin with things laying around the house! You can use anything from Duplos to pom poms to toy cars, they just have to be red and green!
Source | Fun with Mama
10. Snowman Sensory Bin
Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice bottles make the perfect snowman activity! (Or use any bottles you have for crazy shaped snowmen :)) With some white rice, spoons, and funnels, you have such a fun sensory and fine motor activity!
Source | Turner Tots
11. Hot Chocolate Sensory Bin
This sensory bin is insanely easy to make with cocoa puffs, mini marshmallows, and a few things out of your kitchen! And if your kids wash their hands before they play, they can eat some of their sensory bin while they play too!
Source | ABCDee Learning
12. Iceberg Sensory Bin
This sensory bin is taste safe which makes it perfect for any age. I mean, what kid wouldn’t want to eat an iceberg?!
Source | Taming Little Monsters
13. Snowball Rescue Sensory BIn
Who knew you could entertain your toddler with some tape and crumpled up paper! Let little ones use their hands or make things more challenging by using tongs to pick them up.
Source | Happy Toddler Playtime
14. Christmas Tree Sensory Bin
This is a fun sensory bin to let your kids help make. They can pick out ornaments, tinsel, and garland at the dollar store and also help pull cotton balls apart to make the snow!
Source | Raising Little Superheroes
15. Snow Trucks Sensory Bin
This is the perfect sensory bin for car and truck lovers!
Source | Entertain Your Toddler
This post was all about winter sensory bin ideas that are perfect for toddlers and little ones to learn and also develop fine motor skills. I hope that these make the snowed in days a little more fun!
-Beautifully Busy Mom
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Meet the Author
This post was written by Monica, a mom of two who is determined to find ways to enjoy the outdoors with her kids even in the dead of winter! Got to get to those 1000 hours outside somehow!
