Valentine Sensory Bin

Our Valentine sensory bin this year was put together by the children. They were given free reign in the art studio and allowed to pull anything pink red or white. I gave them a choice of base material, and they requested "red" rice, which turned out more pink.

To make the rice, I used about a half gallon size container of rice. I mildly heated 1/3 cup of vinegar with a pea sized dollop of Wilton Christmas Red gel food coloring. I mixed it well until the gel had completely dissolved, then combined it with the rice until thoroughly coated. The rice went onto two jelly roll pans and into the oven. I had preheated it to 350 degrees, then turned it off and left the rice in the rest of the day. It probably could have used another pea size of the coloring gel, but I didn't want it to come off on their hands once dry.

The rice is their filling and dumping activity.

To this they added a package of Valentine confetti. The confetti they have sorted out [fine motor] and sorted by color.

They also added pom poms, which they sort by size and color and use in a variety of ways; feathers, which they color and size sort; pipe cleaners, which they color sort and manipulate; and red shiny shred filler. 

The cookie cutters they use as bases to fill with rice and pom poms, and wrap with the pipe cleaners.
Tags: sensory, sensory bin, Valentine's, child care, daycare, preschool, pre-k, homeschool, holiday, Valentine's Day, activity, 

Little Stars Learning