Sensory Bins - Break-it-Down

 We recently shared with yall some fun times we had with our Pour and Explore activities.  

 

Recently, K has been having so much fun we have switched up our schedule from just a few days a week to everyday!  This means much more research, prep, shopping, and clean up but IT iS WORTH IT!

Here is a "generic" or "whole group" version of today's sensory bin experience:

 

 First, we took a survey of what was around us.  Shopping is on the to-do list, so today we are working with whatever we have and can locate around the houses. 

If you do what we do, you'll notice when your LO stays focused on a particular thing or activity; this can be used as evidence we use to help us communicate with them.  (If you LO is currently pre or non verbal that is.?)

Today we had, at our disposal, whatever was in Mom's pantry as well as his snacks for the morning.  Take a look below to see what we found today.  A few things were grabbed and outside we went!

 Then, after playing a while we got cold; time to go inside.  He was still wanting to play around.  This is when the bin turned bag:

  All contents were then poured from bin to bag; trying this idea out for the first time today! After a bit of shuffling and banging around for almost ten minutes, K decided he wanted to test the dexterity of the bag with his chompers.  Pride was then swallowed while another bag was applied around the bitten bag:

Afterwards, it was time to try something new, for this teacher at least!  After seeing a OT on YuTube it was off to gather a few more items to create a 'contained' version of the bin.

Sifting through what I could get to my old teacher supplies, thankfully in a box was a laminating pouch.  Using Mom's straightener, some hand sanitizer, a little water, and some glitter balls from Dollar Tree ( lol :D )  I went to work.  Check out the results: 

Next, was to play, or try to play at least. 

The seal on the  lamination proved to stand up to the contents, but size of the balls proved to be some-what problematic.  Quick thinking turned his from a vertical (wall) to horizontal (table/floor) activity; as shown above.

Finally, still wanting him to keep a 'wall' activity, we snatched the place-mat from breakfast/snack time;

check it out:

This l.i.t.e.r.a.l.l.y took up our morning from 6 to 10!!