Bumblebee Sensory Bin

Creating a sensory bin themed around the humble bumblebee is not only a buzz-worthy activity but a fantastic way to merge playful exploration with educational themes like spring, insects, or even a storytime centered around a book of insects. This engaging project allows little ones to dive hands-on into a miniature world teeming with colors, textures, and endless possibilities for imaginative play. By incorporating elements that represent the natural habitat and life of bumblebees, kids can learn about these fascinating creatures and the important roles they play in our ecosystem, all while developing critical sensory and motor skills.

Materials Needed:

• Yellow colored rice (learn how to color rice for sensory play here)
• Black pom poms
• Artificial flowers
• Small bowls
• Scoopers
• Bee figurine toys
• Toilet paper roll
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Bumblebee Sensory Bin:

Coloring the Rice Yellow:

1. Start by placing 4 cups of white rice in a large ziplock bag.
2. In a small bowl, mix together ½ cup of vinegar with several drops of yellow food coloring. The more drops you add, the more vibrant your yellow rice will be.
3. Pour the vinegar mixture into the bag with the rice. Seal the bag tightly and shake it well until all the rice is evenly coated in yellow.
4. Spread the rice out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let it dry completely. This may take a few hours or overnight.

Making the Beehive:

1. Cut your toilet paper roll into 1-inch rings.
2. Using the hot glue gun, attach the rings together to form a beehive shape.

Setting Up the Sensory Bin:

1. Once your yellow rice is dry, fill a large, shallow container with it. This will be the base of your bumblebee-themed sensory bin.
2. Scatter black pom poms throughout the rice to mimic the look of bumblebees buzzing around.
3. Place artificial flowers, small bowls, and scoopers in the bin for added play and exploration.
4. Add the bee figurine toys and the handmade beehive to complete the setup.

How They Played:

Watching my kids engage with the bumblebee sensory bin was an absolute delight. They spent hours pretending to be little beekeepers, using scoopers to collect “pollen” (the yellow rice) and distributing it to the various flowers. They were fascinated by the task of building and arranging the beehive, enhancing their understanding of how bees live and work together in colonies. This hands-on play not only sparked their curiosity about nature but also offered ample opportunities for learning through play.

Skills Learned:

• Fine Motor Skills: Scooping, pouring, and picking up small objects like pom poms and rice grains help develop hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
• Cognitive Development: Engaging with the sensory bin stimulates critical thinking and problem-solving skills, especially as children figure out how to navigate and interact with the materials.
• Language Skills: As kids play, they expand their vocabulary by learning and using new words related to bumblebees, their habitats, and the sensory materials.
• Sensory Exploration: This activity provides a rich sensory experience, allowing children to explore different textures, colors, and smells, which is crucial for sensory development.

Integrating educational themes into sensory play is not just about keeping little hands busy; it’s about opening doors to new worlds of discovery and learning. The bumblebee sensory bin is a simple yet effective tool in sparking curiosity about nature and the environment, all while making learning fun and engaging.

Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers

There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!

But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.

Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.

Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again! 

These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!

Click here for more information: Play2Learn

Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids

Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon. 

Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.

Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.

Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids

Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more. 

Find out more and grab your copy here.

Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.

Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids

Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.

• 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
• Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
• Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.

Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!

Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.

Bumblebee Sensory Bin

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Materials

• Yellow colored rice (learn how to color rice for sensory play here)
• Black pom poms
• Artificial flowers
• Small bowls
• Scoopers
• Bee figurine toys
• Toilet paper roll
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun

Instructions

 

Making the Yellow Rice

1. Start by placing 4 cups of white rice in a large ziplock bag.In a small bowl, mix together ½ cup of vinegar with several drops of yellow food coloring. The more drops you add, the more vibrant your yellow rice will be. Pour the vinegar mixture into the bag with the rice. Seal the bag tightly and shake it well until all the rice is evenly coated in yellow. Spread the rice out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let it dry completely. This may take a few hours or overnight.

Making the Beehive

1. Cut your toilet paper roll into 1-inch rings. Using the hot glue gun, attach the rings together to form a beehive shape. 

Setting up the Sensory Bin

1. Once your yellow rice is dry, fill a large, shallow container with it. This will be the base of your bumblebee-themed sensory bin. Scatter black pom poms throughout the rice to mimic the look of bumblebees buzzing around. Place artificial flowers, small bowls, and scoopers in the bin for added play and exploration. Add the bee figurine toys and the handmade beehive to complete the setup.

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