How to Make a Baking Soda Sensory Play Bin

This fun baking soda sensory play bin is the perfect sensory activity for toddlers, preschoolers, and school age children. It is a great sensory activity that is easy to prep and prepare and keeps kids busy for a long time.

This sensory bin tray is also a great STEM activity for kids as you can use it as a lesson on reactions. You can set this activity up to go with any holiday of choice or make your standard erupting volcano.

To make a baking soda and vinegar fizzy fun sensory bin you will need a large amount of baking soda (we buy the largest bag you can get at Costco and it lasts us a long time and allows you to make many fizzy trays) and vinegar. The amount you will need depends on how large you want your fizzy tray to be. For this activity, we used roughly 2 cups of each.

You will also need food coloring (in the colors desired for your fizzy tray), a tray of some sort, and an optional fun add-in of choice. We used pop rocks to give our baking soda and vinegar fizzy tray some extra excitement. Other add-in ideas could be glitter, plastic-themed figures/toys,  sprinkles, and more.

If you are like us and love sensory bins be sure to check out this fun bubble foam sensory bin and activity as well!

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Baking Soda Sensory Play Bin Set-Up Tips

For this sensory tray, make sure to use a waterproof tray. We found an awesome art tray in the Target dollar spot that we use for a lot of our sensory trays. If you don’t have a sensory tray available, we’ve also used a sheet pan or serving tray.

I find that using a water dropper and/or science kit helps my littles to be more engaged in the sensory bins and activities. It helps prolong the activity and helps create a smaller reaction at a time than pouring vinegar in with a measuring cup or other object.

Be sure to put down a layer of baking soda before adding in the food coloring so food coloring doesn’t spread. Lay food coloring down in the shape and colors that you desire. Then add another layer of baking soda on top.

Some fun and easy shaped trays to make would be an American flag as shown, rainbow tray, smiley face/emoji tray, checker board tray, and more.

Vinegar and Baking Soda Sensory Bin

Materials

• Bin or tray
• Water dropper
• Baking Soda
• Vinegar
• Food coloring
• Optional add-in (pop rocks, glitter, plastic animal figurines, sprinkles, etc…)

Activity:

1. Begin by filling the bottom layer of your tray with a small layer of baking soda. The larger the tray the more baking soda you will need to cover the bottom.
2. Drop food coloring drops all over the layer of baking soda in the pattern and color that you desire. For example: blue drops in the upper left corner, red drops in lines on the right and bottom of the baking soda in the tray to create an American flag shape.
3. Cover the food coloring drops and first layer of baking soda with an additional layer of baking soda.
4. Sprinkle additional optional add-in of choice onto the top of the baking soda. (IE pop rocks, sprinkles, glitter, etc…)
5. Using a dropper, drop/squirt vinegar on top of the tray and watch the reaction take place. Colors will begin to show up and pop rocks will begin to pop (if using them) the more vinegar you squirt on.
6. Let your children play with their baking soda sensory play bin in whichever other ways desired.

Sensory Play has so many benefits for young children. It helps with fine motor skills, sorting, pouring, dumping, and so much more. That is why sensory play is our favorite. For some other fun sensory play ideas be sure to also check out:

• Bubble Foam Sensory Play – Making bubble foam using dish soap, a mixer, food coloring, and water.
• Chia Seed Sensory Play – Make Chia seed slime that is perfect for sensory play using Chia seeds, water, and food coloring
• Sensory Play Dirt – Gives multiple ways to make dirt that is perfect for construction themed sensory bins and more. Even includes options for taste safe dirt for younger children.