Sensory experiences are essential for all children, but especially for those with low vision and/or multiple disabilities. Creating sensory bins with a variety of different textures and toys can be a great way to encourage children to explore their environment and investigate their developing senses. The “Snap, Crackle and Pop” Sensory Bin incorporates sight, hearing, touch and smell (and possibly even taste!) all into one activity and can modified in a variety of different ways to focus specific sensory needs if desired.
** Be aware if children put things in their mouths, as this will need close supervision, especially with some of the non-food items mentioned below.
Materials
- Plastic dish pan
- Rice krispies
- Spray bottle with water
- Small plastic animals, bugs and/or wind up toys
- Plastic shovel (optional)
Procedure
- Fill dish pan about 1/2 full with Rice Krispies
- Hide small plastic animals, bugs or wind up toys in the cereal
- Allow child to spray Rice Krispie treats to hear the ‘snap, crackle and pop’ and then dig (using the shovel) for the hidden toys!
Variations
- Use coffee beans instead of cereal to dig for treasure and to play ‘coffee shop’. This would add the sensory experience of smell to the activity (spray bottle unneeded).
- Fill the dish pan with beans, rice, pom poms, rocks, sand or any variety of textures to gain different sensory experiences
- Use brightly colored fruit loops for kids with visual impairments
- Use different utensils for ‘digging’ including tongs, kitchen utensils and brushes
Inspired by: https://messymotherhood.com/
