What's the Point of Sensory Bins, Bottles and Bags? (2024)

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One of the more recent trends in sensory play is the creation of sensory bins, sensory bottles and sensory bags. Perhaps you’ve wondered what the point of sensory bins or sensory bottles or sensory bags is. Are they simply another toy? Why do children seem so enthralled with these seemingly simple sensory activities? I hope to be able to answer these questions for you.

What's the Point of Sensory Bins, Bottles and Bags? (1)Sensory play is important for all children at many of their developmental stages. It is even more critical for children who have sensory processing disorder (SPD). Sensory play is any activity that stimulates the sense.

So why sensory bins, sensory bottles and sensory bags?

Sensory bins, bags and bottles are easy and inexpensive to make. They don’t require a lot of room. This give children the opportunity to further their sensory exploration without the need to go to an indoor play place or children’s museum. They are an incredibly simple way to incorporate sensory play in your own home or vehicle or classroom.

Sensory bins, sensory bottles and sensory bags allow children to explore, discover, imagine, create, and learn while engaging their senses.

If you’ve ever made a sensory bin for your child before, you may have noticed thatit captured their attention more than you expected it would. Often, kids who will only play with a toy for a few seconds or minutes will spend ten or fifteen minutes playing in a sensory bin while their mom or dad stands there, mouth agape, wondering how in the world their active child is staying focused on one activity for so long. This is because of the sensory component of the play. Your child is not able to tell you when their sensory needs are not being met, but when they encounter an activity that fills that void for them, they know immediately that it is something they need to be doing.

What's the Point of Sensory Bins, Bottles and Bags? (2)Sensory bottles are often referred to as calm down bottles. When a sensory bottle hasitems such as glitter in itthat move slowly, children (and adults) are often mesmerized by watching their slow descent and this calms their breathing and helps them regulate themselves and their emotions.

I also have created weighted sensory bottles for much the same reason. They can provide a calm down effect due to the sensory input they provide.

Sensory bags are often referred to as squish bags and they also meet sensory needs in a simple way. I make freezer meals and often when I’m assembling them, my daughter will press on the bags of soups and casseroles and comment how much she loves the feeling of them. When it comes time for me to put them in the freezer, she expresses that she is sad to not be able to play with them anymore, so I whip up a simple sensory bag for her to play with.

  • Language Skills – Children are able to expand their vocabulary and language skills as they describe their play experience.
  • Fine Motor Skills – Fine motor skills are improved by manipulating small objects, dumping and scooping.
  • Social Skills – Social skills are worked on by learning about sharing, playing and communicating with others while engaged in their sensory play.
  • Science and Math Skills – Children are also using skills useful for science and math in measuring, guesstimating and learning about cause and effect while manipulating sensory materials.
  • Meeting sensory needs

What are other usesfor sensory bottles, bags and bins?

Two of our children have used sand trays in their therapy. Sand trays are especially appropriate to help children work through past traumas. I believe that my children were more comfortable doing their sand tray work because they were so used to sensory bin play.

Those who work with patients with dementia and Alzheimers are finding it helpful to use sensory bags, bottles and bins.Providing appropriate sensory stimulation for patients suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementiahas been shown in recent studies to decrease agitation and restlessness and to improve sleep.

Obviously, for adults, you don’t want to create a sensory bag that is too juvenile, but you can create the same effect using something like this gel bag maze. Some patients do enjoy themed or fun sensory bags. Simple sensory bins with rice and rocks or salt can be very effective and sensory bottles can have a calming effect.

Sensory bottles, bins and bags are particularly effective for children who suffer from Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), though they are also a healthy part of learning for all children.

How do I use sensory bags, bottles and bins with my child?

Sensory bins are very simple to create. You likely have supplies in your home today to make a sensory bin that would engage your child. If you are looking for more in-depth information on creating sensory bins including filler ideas, sensory recipes and storage and money saving ideas, you can find those in my ebook on Sensory Bins.

If you’re looking for inspiration to create your own sensory bins, here areover 100 sensory bin ideas for all kinds of themes and holidays.

Help your child explore by asking them questions like “what do you feel?/see?/smell?” or “what does that make you think of?” Encourage them to use their imaginations to come up with stories or characters while they play. This is particularly effective in sensory bins.

Sensory bottles can be created in any empty bottle that has a lid. For younger children, I suggest hot gluing the lid on so that they can’t open it. You can fill the bottle with liquids or solids and a variety of items. If you mix clear glue with warm water (approximately half and half), you can slow down the movement of the items in the bottle, adding to the calm-down effect. Adding heavier items or using a glass bottle (not for younger children obviously) creates a weighted sensory bottle.

For exact instructions and over a dozen ideas to help you create your own, check out all of our sensory bottles.

Sensory bottles and bags can be used for calming or exploration. They can also be good for taking with you in the vehicle or using in waiting rooms.

Sensory bags are also very easy to make. I like using medium freezer bags instead of sandwich bags because I find them more durable. If you are making them for younger children, you will want to secure the bag with duct tape or heavy packing tape. They can be filled with a variety of items. If you’re looking for ideas for making sensory bags, you can check out our best sensory bags.

Creating sensory activities doesn’t have to cost much. I find that the dollar store and my own cupboards are great places to find sensory filler items. I’ve used expired coconut as “snow”, coloured expired rice, used all shapes and sizes of dry beans and lentils and chickpeas, popcorn kernels, oats. Gels, body wash and hand sanitizers work well in sensory bottle and bags so I am always on the lookoutthem to go on clearance.

I hope this information has given you a better understanding of the purpose of sensory bottles, bins and bags and given you the knowledge and confidence needed to be able to make your own.

Join our free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities and get our Sensory System Behaviours Easy Reference Cards.

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What's the Point of Sensory Bins, Bottles and Bags? (2024)

FAQs

What's the Point of Sensory Bins, Bottles and Bags? ›

Benefits of sensory bags

What's the point of sensory bottles? ›

Sensory bottles are bottles that are filled with objects and liquids to create an engaging visual, auditory and tactile sensory experience. They support the development of key skills in babies and toddlers, and they are also used to provide relaxation to children who are feeling overwhelmed or anxious.

What's the point of sensory bins? ›

sensory bins are a powerful tool that ignites a child's imagination, curiosity, and learning potential. By engaging their senses, these bins provide children with valuable hands-on experiences that promote cognitive, physical, and social-emotional development.

What is the purpose of a sensory bag? ›

Sensory bags help young children to develop their sense of touch and fine motor skills as they manipulate the small objects around the bags. The types of sensory bags you can make is endless!

What are the learning outcomes of the sensory bin? ›

Sensory bins promote language development.

Toddlers and preschoolers can learn about basic concepts such as full/empty, up/down, above/below, or same/different while they are pouring, sorting, and moving the objects in the sensory bin.

What are the learning outcomes of sensory bottles? ›

Benefits
  • Math skills: counting, matching, shape recognition, spatial reasoning.
  • Pre-reading skills: letters, sounds.
  • Vocabulary skills: descriptive language, following directions.
  • Fine motor skills.
Mar 1, 2021

Why are sensory bins good for autism? ›

Another benefit of sensory bins for children with autism is that they allow kids to explore their senses and creativity. Your child can stimulate multiple senses at once while running their hands through the filler materials and playing with the various toys.

Are sensory bins worth it? ›

Sensory bins provide children with the opportunity to explore and learn through hands-on tactile play that engages their senses. These bins encourage and support various types of development and are great activities to have in your home. Sensory bins can be themed for holidays, seasons and academic skills.

What age should you start sensory bins? ›

Sensory bins are good for children over 18 months of age. Before they're 18 months old, sensory bins are not developmentally appropriate because the possible hazards outweigh the benefits.

Why do people need sensory toys? ›

Sensory toys are objects that are used for tactile stimulation. They offer a tangible way for kids to interact with their environment, which helps them learn about the world around them. Sensory toys are made for children with special needs, but they work great for all kids.

What should I put in my sensory bag? ›

Confetti , sparkles, googly eyes, foam shapes, sequins, pom poms, nature items, cotton balls, water beads, pumpkin guts, seeds, buttons, peas, etc. Sensory bags are an exciting activity to engage Infants & Toddlers!

What is an autism bag? ›

Sensory backpacks are designed to help children on the autism spectrum feel more comfortable and secure in different environments. They are also a great tool to help parents prepare for situations that may be overwhelming for their child.

How often should sensory bags be cleaned? ›

individuals and/or families visiting a venue. Items included in KultureCity Sensory Bags are cleaned after every use with alcohol free sanitization wipes and allowed to completely dry before being rebagged.

What is the purpose of a sensory bin? ›

Essentially, a sensory bin is a container filled with materials specifically chosen to stimulate the senses, allowing the child to explore and interact with the items as they choose. Sensory play is a great way to expose your child to a variety of textures, facilitate communication, and actively engage with your child.

What are the learning outcomes of sensory bags? ›

Benefits of sensory bags

Using sensory items, children can: Build neural connections within the brain. Develop fine motor skills handling and manipulating objects. Learn social skills by sharing or playing.

What do children learn from sensory? ›

Sensory play encourages learning through exploration, curiosity, problem solving and creativity. It helps to build nerve connections in the brain and encourages the development of language and motor skills.

What is the purpose of sensory toys? ›

Sensory toys encourage children to think critically and solve problems as they interact with various elements. By manipulating objects, fitting pieces together, and experimenting with cause and effect, children develop their problem-solving skills and learn to think independently.

What are the benefits of sensory bottles for adults? ›

Sensory bottles are a visual and physical tool for calming and relaxing the body. A child (or adult!) can use a sensory bottle when they feel anxious, overwhelmed, “wound-up”, or overstimulated and use the sense of proprioception as they shake the sensory bottle and watch the contents shift.

Why do people have emotional support water bottles? ›

Other people take a sip of their water when they're feeling emotionally unwell. Others just find comfort in having an object that they can hold and keep with them every day. Something stable. Overall, water bottles are not simply a vessel for water, but a way to show who you are and what you care about.

How do sensory bottles help autism? ›

Kids who are sensory-seekers may benefit from heavy work activity using the bottle. The weight of it can soothe them as they turn it around searching for specific letters or objects. You can even make a list of the toys in the bottle. Kids can use it to see if they can find all the items.

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