This bee themed sensory bin is a great way to explore the world and the importance of bees in a hands-on way through sensory play. Whether you’re learning about the honey bee or bumble bee or even the bee life cycle, this bee sensory bin is so much fun for little learners.
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How To Create A Bee Sensory Bin
Step 1
Alternate dried black beans and dried chickpeas that have been dyed yellow in stripes in your sensory bin or sensory tray. (See how to dye chickpeas in the next section if needed).
Step 2
Add small craft bees. These can be found online and in craft stores or dollar stores; sometimes they come with little stickers on the back which can be removed.
Step 3
Add fake flowers and yellow pom poms as well as any small bee toys you have around your home or classroom.
Step 4
Add scoops, bowls and fine motor toys in a tray next to your bin or beside your sensory bin.
Step 5
Play! Your kids can play with this open-ended sensory bin or you can give them suggestions and give them some ideas for how to play.
Materials Needed
- Dried black beans
- Dried chickpeas dyed yellow (instructions below)
- chickpeas, yellow food dye, vinegar, plastic bag
- Small craft supply bees (for scrapbooking etc)
- Fake flowers
- Yellow pom poms
- Bee toys or honey pots
- DIY paper roll beehive (instructions below)
- 4 toilet paper rolls, stapler, yellow construction paper, scissors, pencil, hot glue
- Spoons
- Bowls
- Sensory tub, plastic bin, tray or sensory table
- Optional Fine Motor Skill Tools:
- Helping Hands Fine Motor Tool Set
- (or child safe tongs and tweezers)
How To Dye Chickpeas
I used 3 cups of dried chickpeas and put them in a large plastic bag with one tablespoon of vinegar and a couple drops of high quality yellow food coloring.
Shake the bag to evenly distribute the yellow dye then empty the bag onto a baking sheet of parchment paper or paper towels to dry out completely.
The more they air out, the less they will smell like vinegar. You can store them back inside a bag or container for years and continue enjoying them as a long lasting sensory bin filler.
DIY Beehive Instructions
Step 1)
Take 4 toilet paper rolls and cut them in half, which will give you 8 sections total. You’ll use 7 sections for the remainder of this craft, set the last one aside.
Step 2)
Arrange your 7 toilet paper roll segments in the shape of a honeycomb as pictured. Use a stapler to staple the inside of the toilet paper rolls together in this shape.
Step 3)
Trace the outside of the honeycomb shaped toilet paper rolls onto your construction paper, leaving some space for a perimeter. Then cut out the shape of the hexagon you’ve created.
Step 4)
Use hot-glue to secure the toilet paper rolls to the yellow construction paper.
Step 5)
Play! Children can scoop items like beans or pom poms into this creation. They can pretend it’s a beehive and fill it with ‘honey’.
Tips and Guided Play Suggestions
Ask open-ended questions to prompt conversation and imaginative thinking! Here are some examples:
- What colors do you see?
- What textures do you feel?
- What do you think bees like to collect and store in their hives?
- If you were a bee, what colors would you like to see in your flower garden?
- If you were a bee, how would you navigate through the sensory bin to find the sweetest nectar?
- Do you want to pretend these pom poms are pollen? We can move them from flower to flower.
You can ask older children to count pom poms, dig out as many tiny bees as they can find like a game of eye-spy, or add other educational materials to your sensory bin like letters and numbers.
Variation Ideas
You can use different sorts of fillers for this bee themed sensory bin. You’re not limited to black beans and dyed yellow chickpeas. You can purchase yellow and black shredded paper and add them to the bin, or dye white rice both yellow and black. Yellow rice will have the same look and scoop/pour differently than chickpeas would.
I like black beans because they are naturally black in color, but you could also use black and yellow pom poms if you’re looking for non-edible sensory bin fillers. It’s also possible to color chickpeas yellow with acrylic or tempera paint, but even with adult supervision if you have young children who still try to put sensory materials in their mouths, food dye is a safer way to go. Remember to only fill your sensory bin with loose parts that won’t be a hazard for your particular child – you know them best!
Benefits of this Bee Sensory Bin
Sensory Exploration:
This sensory bin provides a rich variety of textures, allowing children to explore the difference between the two and stimulating their sense of touch. It’s the perfect activity for little hands to dig into and feel around.
Visual Engagement:
The vibrant stripes of yellow chickpeas, the faux flowers, and the small craft bees create a visually appealing environment. This stimulates children’s visual senses and encourages them to explore patterns and colors.
Fine Motor Skills:
The inclusion of small craft bees, fake flowers, and yellow pom-poms, along with scoops, bowls, and fine motor toys, provides an excellent opportunity for fine motor skill development. Children can practice picking up, transferring, and manipulating objects, enhancing their hand-eye coordination.
Creativity and Imagination:
The small bee toys scattered throughout the sensory bin invite children to engage in imaginative play. They can create stories, scenarios, and adventures involving the bees, fostering creativity and narrative skills.
Cognitive Development:
Sorting the different elements in the sensory bin, recognizing patterns, and using scoops and bowls involve cognitive processes. This activity supports early cognitive development by encouraging children to think, reason, and problem-solve in a fun and interactive way.
Social Interaction:
If done in a group setting or with siblings, the sensory bin becomes a shared space for social interaction. Children can collaborate, share ideas, and engage in cooperative play as they explore the bee-themed environment together.
Language Development:
As children play, they naturally engage in conversation about the sensory bin. This not only enhances their vocabulary but also provides an opportunity for them to express themselves, ask questions, and communicate.
Final Thoughts
This bee sensory bin is an amazing way for young children to start learning about bees and allows them to expand on their knowledge of the world around them while having fun. By providing a hands-on experience, it not only ignites curiosity but also establishes a connection between play and learning, setting the stage for future exploration and discovery.
Still looking for ideas? You’ll also love this Birds Nest Sensory Bin idea. Stick around Crafty Kids Play for more sensory bin ideas, craft activities and printable resources.
