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Insect sensory bin

11 Comments Preschool, Kindergarten

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My kids absolutely adore sensory play. And they especially enjoy it when I create a new sensory bin for them to explore. Since we are in the middle of our homeschool preschool insect unit, I wanted to put together an insect sensory bin for them to explore. In this post I’m sharing how I created our insect sensory bin and how my kids played with it. At the end of the post I’ve included links to several other insect-themed sensory bins from other bloggers.

Note: For more resources, printables and activities related to insects, please see my insects unit study page. And for more sensory bin ideas, check out my sensory play page.

Insect sensory bin for endless hours of insect-themed fine motor development, creative exploration, and sensory play | #sensoryplay #sensorybins #sensorytub #insects #preschool #ece || Gift of Curiosity

This insect sensory bin was very simple to put together. I started with a base of black beans, then I added several silk flower petals and an insect on top of each petal. (I ordered the insects – which are actually finger puppets – from Oriental Trading Company.)

Insect sensory bin || Gift of Curiosity

When I finally gave them a chance to play, XGirl immediately began scooping and pouring the beans. She absolutely loves this kind of practical life fine motor activity.

Insect sensory bin || Gift of Curiosity

QBoy was enamored with a new set of tongs I included, and used them to pick up the beans and put them in a cup.

Insect sensory bin || Gift of Curiosity

After some time exploring the beans, QBoy picked up two ladybugs and they began to have a conversation.

Insect sensory bin || Gift of Curiosity

Later, he decided to pair up all the insects two by two.

Insect sensory bin || Gift of Curiosity

And eventually, he decided to feed his bugs some of the beans.

Insect sensory bin || Gift of Curiosity

I’m always amazed at how even a very simple sensory bin like this one – which literally took me only less than 10 minutes to put together – can keep my kids entertained for so long.

More insect learning resources

Insect printables from Gift of Curiosity:

  • Insects Printables Pack
  • Insects Do-a-Dot Printables
  • Insects Anatomy Game
  • Insects Grid Games
  • Ant Printables Pack
  • Ant 3-Part Cards
  • Ant Do-a-Dot Printables
  • Ladybug Do-a-Dot Printables
  • Bee Do-a-Dot Printables
  • Bee Sudoku
  • Butterfly Do-a-Dot Printables

For more insect resources, activities, and printables, please see my Insects Unit Study page and my Insects Pinterest board. 

Follow Katie @ Gift of Curiosity’s board Unit Ideas: Insects & Bugs on Pinterest.

Filed Under: Preschool, Kindergarten, Insects Tagged With: insects

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Reader Interactions

11 Comments

  1. Madison

    June 18, 2013 at 12:37 pm

    What a great idea for the kids. My 16 month old though would be trying to eat the beans. She’s still at that age where everything is still taste friendly. Thanks for sharing this great crafty idea.

    Reply to this comment
    • Katie

      June 18, 2013 at 1:00 pm

      Yes, this bin is definitely for kids who don’t put things in their mouths anymore!

      Reply to this comment
  2. Terra

    June 18, 2013 at 6:50 pm

    I wish I had thought to do this when my son was smaller. He would have loved it. I’ll have to remember to try it with my nephews 😉

    Reply to this comment
  3. Nicole Copeland

    June 18, 2013 at 7:26 pm

    So neat..My daughter would love this idea!

    Reply to this comment
  4. Stephanie

    June 18, 2013 at 8:19 pm

    Neat idea! We did something like this with beads when Brady was young.

    Reply to this comment
  5. Tess

    June 20, 2013 at 4:57 am

    How cool! I’ll have to try this with my daycare group.

    Reply to this comment
  6. Angela @ Teaching Mama

    June 22, 2013 at 6:46 am

    Looks great!!! And so much fun. Thanks for mentioning our sensory bin. Happy day to you!

    Reply to this comment
  7. Ashley

    June 23, 2013 at 11:58 am

    Love the bugs! Thanks for sharing at Mom’s Library!

    Reply to this comment
  8. Ashley

    June 26, 2013 at 5:03 am

    Adorable sensory bin! Featured your bogs on Mom’s Library this week!

    Reply to this comment
  9. Carrie

    June 28, 2013 at 4:42 pm

    Such a fun bin!! Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!!

    Reply to this comment
  10. Jennifer Fischer

    June 29, 2013 at 10:20 pm

    What a great bin. I would love to set this up for my boys using real grass! Our yard is has no grass, so having grass in a sensory bin would be very cool for them. I featured this at The Kid’s Co-Op this week.

    Reply to this comment

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I help parents who are transitioning into homeschooling shed old mindsets and embrace their homeschooling superpowers so they can create a homeschool they love where their children will thrive.

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