In this BLOG post I will teach you how to make this fun and festive winter themed sensory bin!
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XO Gina
Before little hands hold a pencil, they should scoop & squish & dump & pour! The more opportunities they have to explore with sensory play, the stronger their fine motor skills will be. The stronger their fine motor skills, the easier it will be for them to learn how to feed themselves, zipper their coat, button their shirt or hold a pencil properly!
Activities like this sensory bin are also SO calming. They can help a child (or adult) strengthen their self-regulation skills, focus and attention, all through play! They can also provide a safe outlet for those experiencing big emotions.
They also activate the senses. The sound of the chickpeas as they move and drop and pour around the sensory bin is AMAZING. It is so engaging and fun and interactive for people of all ages!
Once colored, they will last for years and years (if stored properly). They also provide opportunities to introduce academic skills such as:
Color identification
Sorting
Patterning
Counting and MORE!!
The sound of the chickpeas dropping into the sensory bin or bowl adds an extra layer of sensory goodness into your play! You can push them, scoop them, dump them or pour them.
You can use them for imaginative play. Maybe they aren't chickpeas, they are a candy-cane smoothie, or maybe soup or maybe candies on a tray.
Maybe you want to sort them or count them or just push them around with your fingers.
Maybe you want to scoop them into a cup and dump them over and over and over.
Maybe you want to add in dinosaurs, diggers or barbies.
Maybe you want to pour them through a funnel or push them into a bottle.
The possibilities for learning and play are ENDLESS.
The BEST part, all you need in ONE ingredient to make these adorable candy-caned themed chickpeas look so vibrant: Metallic paint!
It really is that simple!!
Pour your dried chickpeas into a Ziploc bag or plastic container. It is important to note that the paint may adhere to whatever container you use, so keep that in mind! I like to use recycled take-out containers for this.
Squeeze enough paint into the bowl to fully cover all of the chickpeas. I stir them for several minutes to assure that they are evenly coated.
Wait 5 minutes and stir them again: this keeps them from sticking together.
Wait about 5-10 and stir again, they dry quickly and stirring them frequently helps the process.
Once they are fully dry, dump them into a sensory bin or bowl and PLAY!
What to add in to your sensory bin:
Measuring cups or bowls.
Funnels, Spoons or Strainers
Trucks, gems, plastic animals etc
Plastic letters or numbers
Storage:
Once you make a dry sensory base, store them in an air-tight container and they will last you YEARS!!! You can use a Ziploc bag or container with a lid. Keep them dry & you can reuse them over & over again for learning & play!
Do the colors get on kid's hands or surfaces?
NO! Once the sensory base is completely dry, there should be no transfer while you play. If you are seeing colors transfer to your hands or surfaces that your sensory base is not completely dry. If you get a sensory base wet during play, I would discard immediately.
Want to know what else to do with metallic paint? Check out these BLOG posts here!
Small items are choking hazards. Always monitor young children during sensory play. You get to decide what is safe & manageable in your home.