March 31, 2013

Bean "Soup" Sensory Bin

Author Avatar By Dyan Robson | Published: March 31, 2013 | Updated: March 31, 2013 |
I don't have access to a babysitter on Thursdays when I teach piano, so usually the boys either play and eat snacks in the dining room or K hangs out in the ERGO on my back or I turn on the TV.  I decided to try setting up a sensory bin to see if that would hold their attention for at least the first 30 minute lesson.

Materials
  • Large plastic bin
  • Egg carton with two plastic eggs
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Large spoons
  • Small pot without lid
  • Some plastic containers from the recycling
  • Dried beans
I set this sensory bin up in the dining room so that I could still supervise them while I taught piano in the adjoining room.

The invitation to scoop, dump, and "cook."
Both boys were so excited to dig in.  J exclaimed, "Oh beans!  Mmmm...bean soup!"

Checking out the bin
Look at K measuring some beans.
This sensory bin kept the boys busy for a solid 20 minutes and I think my student was relieved to have had minimal interruptions.  However, things turned messy at this point.  J dumped the entire bin on the floor.  Then both boys started rolling and swishing the beans around with their hands.  They were having a blast, laughing and squealing, and the beans ended up EVERYWHERE.  That's when they abandoned the room, leaving this mess:
The aftermath
The sign of a successful sensory bin is always measured by the mess left behind.  And of course, our cat Scooter couldn't resist playing with the beans after the boys left the room.


Need a print-friendly version of this article to share with others?
📄 Print / Save as PDF