This fun, easy, and inexpensive Valentines sensory bin is the perfect sensory play activity for preschoolers, kindergartners, and more. It is easy to throw together, inexpensive and great for practicing color recognition skills.
For this sensory bin, you will need colored rice, conversation hearts, candy hearts, a muffin tin, and construction paper circles. You will also need a bin of some sort.
For other fun sensory bin ideas be sure to check out these fun winter sensory bins as well as these spring sensory bins as well.
Why Make A Valentines Sensory Bin?
With this sensory bin, Children will work on scooping, pouring, color sorting, letter and word recognition, processing, counting (after sorting), and language skills. Sensory play helps teach these skills and so many more!
Tips for Set-Up & Ways to Play
*This Valentine’s Day sensory bin is perfect for practicing color recognition for younger children. Simply find construction paper the same colors as the conversation and candy hearts and then they can sort by colors.
*For older children who are learning to read you can also sort by words. Conversation hearts and candy hearts often have words on them. Children can sort by words or phrases. They can also read the words while sorting.
*When making this sensory bin you can choose to hide the conversation hearts in the rainbow rice to make them easier to find. This will help make the activity take more time as well.
*For this activity you can also add in any other fun heart shaped Valentines manipulatives and loose parts. Resin hearts, foam heart stickers, plastic heart toys and more work great.
*When sorting candy hearts during this sensory bin you can also finish the play by having older children work on their graphing skills and graph the conversation hearts. For a fun free candy heart graph check out the Kindergarten Connection here.
Valentine’s Day Sorting Sensory Bin
Materials
-
- Colored Rice (pink, white, and red look best)
- Conversation hearts
- Candy hearts
- Muffin tin
- Construction paper in different colors
- Optional tape
- Scoops, tongs, tweezers
- Optional heart embellishments and loose parts
- Plastic bin or tub
Valentines Sensory Bin Directions
1. Fill your sensory bin with colored rice. We like to start with stripes of red, pink, and white rice. They will end up all mixed together at the end.
2. Sprinkle different colors of conversation hearts on the top.
3. Sprinkle on candy hearts and any other heart loose parts.
4. Set the bin aside and prepare a muffin tin.
5. Cut out construction paper circles to match each color of conversation and candy hearts used.
6. Set one paper circle in the bottom of each muffin pan section. You can tape them down for better durability or use without being taped.
7. Add in any scoops, tongs/tweezers, and more.
8. Allow children time to play, match the colors, count the totals in each muffin tin, scoop, explore, read candy hearts, and more.
More Valentine’s Day Fun
For more super fun Valentine’s Day activities check out some of our favorites below:
- This fun Valentine’s Day hot air balloon craft includes a free heart balloon template and cute puns to go with it.
- For a fun DIY Valentine’s Day card for kids check out these glasses straw valentines and free printable.
- This adorable cactus craft makes the cutest Valentine’s Day card or keepsake for family and friends.
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