Set up this easy Fall paint sensory bin activity for your toddler or preschooler. Painting leaves is a fun hands-on art activity that is tons of fun!

Yes, it will be messy but grab a smock and let them enjoy it!

My little one absolutely loved this activity and yours will too!
Looking for other fun Fall art activities? Check out these fun ideas:
- Mess Free Fall Art Activity for Babies & Toddlers
- Fall Shape Painting
- Potato Masher Corn Craft
- Easy Marbles Fall Leaves
- Shape Painted Leaves Craft
How to Set Up Fall Paint Sensory Bin
Collect some fallen leaves from outside.

Pull out your big sensory bin and smock and spread the leaves in the bin.

Squeeze a few globs of washable finger paint in fall colours- red, orange, yellow, brown and green into the bin.

Then let your little one paint! There is no right or wrong way to do this activity it simply is good old fashion sensory fun! They can paint the leaves, paint with the leaves, paint the bin with the leaves, paint the bin with their hands. Anything they choose!

This is a paint sensory activity so no paint brushes or tools required. All they need is their hands. My four year old couldn’t wait to get her hands in there to smear it around.
One Rule
This truly is a process art activity and I only had one rule: All the paint stays in the bin!

Language Development
Not only was this activity a wonderful chance for sensory play it also provided a great opportunity to help develop language associated with sensory play, such as describing how the paint felt on her hands and the sounds it made when she squished it in the palm of her hands.

Colour Mixing
It also provided a great opportunity to talk about all the beautiful colours of Fall!

More Paint
As the colours blended together, I would add in more paint and different colours. This would be a good time to add paper to the bin to make a print of all the beautiful colours just before they start to turn gray or brown. My little one wasn’t too interested in this part so we just kept on adding more paint.

Work of Art
The goal of this activity was just to enjoy the sensory fun of having paint on her hands. The other goal is also to paint the leaves with different colors using her hands.

Clean Up Fall Paint Sensory Bin
When she finally got bored of painting, I told her the fun was not over! Now it was time to clean up. I wiped her hands with a few wipes then we washed them under the tap.

Then I removed all the leaves and poured a small amount of water and dish soap into the bin. Swirled it around to make bubbles then gave her a sponge brush and asked her start washing some of the paint off.

Cleaning Up Can Be Fun
Honestly, this part was just as (it not more) fun as covering the bin with paint and it helped cut down on the amount of cleaning up I had to do at the end!
Skill Development Opportunities
Fall paint sensory bin is great for Colour Recognition, Language and Vocabulary Development, Hand-Eye Coordination, Fine Motor Skills, Problem Solving, Emotional Development, Trial & Error, Visual Perception, Cognitive Development, Imaginative and Sensory Play.
Age Suitability
This activity is ideal for 2 year old toddlers and up.
Supplies
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- Red, orange, brown, yellow, Washable Paint
- 41 Qt, Clear Sensory Bin (Large)
- Art Smocks
- Paper (optional)
- Water
- Dish Soap
- Sponge
- Wipes
ARE YOU GOING TO TRY A FALL PAINT SENSORY BIN WITH YOUR LITTLE ONE? Pin it for Later!


Susan
These bags for babies are genius! Teaching my grands – 2 and 3 but also have 8 and 9 month old – now we all paint! Thanks so much! Brilliant!
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