Autumn! A time when nature showers us with a riot of colors – from golden yellows to fiery reds. It’s also the perfect season to jump into a new sensory play adventure. Ready to combine the magic of fall with a dash of fun and learning? Let’s create a Leaf Name Sensory Bin!
WILL YOU MAKE THIS LEAF NAME SENSORY BIN WITH YOUR CHILD THIS FALL? PIN IT FOR LATER!
What You’ll Need
- Leaves: Real or artificial, make sure they have those lovely autumn shades. If you’re picking them up from your backyard, give them a little rinse and dry before the fun begins.
- Black Marker
- A Sensory Bin or Large Container: This will be our play area.
- Dried Chickpeas: These little wonders add an exciting texture and a nice rustic touch.
- Acorns: For an extra touch of woodland charm.
- Sheet of paper
Setting up the Leaf Name Sensory Bin
A Name in Leaves: Take your leaves and, using the black marker, write individual letters on them. If you’re working on your child’s name, make sure you have all the letters you need.
Prep the Playground: Fill the sensory bin with dried chickpeas. They not only add a tactile dimension but they’re also great for burying leaves and uncovering hidden treasures.
Sprinkle in Some Fun: Add the acorns and the lettered leaves into the mix. Some can be half-buried, and others can be on top, just waiting to be discovered.
Finally, write your child’s name on a sheet of paper or construction paper in large letters. This is where they will match the
Engaging in Play
Find Your Name: Encourage your kiddo to find the letters of their name among the leaves. As they find the letter invite them to match it to the letters on the sheet of paper.
Storytime: Create a narrative. Maybe the leaves are from a magical forest, and each letter holds a special power. The possibilities are endless!
Count and Sort: Let’s not forget the chickpeas and acorns! Your child can count them, sort them, or even use them to form patterns and shapes. Add some bowls and scoopers and let the fun continue after they have found and matched their names.
Challenge: For an added challenge invite them to find and spell all the names of their family members such as mom, dad or siblings.
Skills on Display
Sensory play isn’t just play; it’s a powerful learning experience:
- Fine Motor Skills: Searching for leaves and small acorns in the chickpeas helps develop hand-eye coordination.
- Literacy: By searching for and identifying letters, kids begin to recognize the shapes and sequences of alphabets.
- Cognitive Development: Sorting, counting, and pattern-making with chickpeas and acorns boost problem-solving skills and logical thinking.
- Imaginative Play: Creating stories and narratives based on the bin contents encourages creative thinking and expands the imagination.
Wrap Up
Autumn is more than just a season; it’s an inspiration. The Leaf Name Sensory Bin not only offers hours of play but also layers of educational experiences. It’s nature, imagination, and learning all tucked into one vibrant package. So, gather those leaves, and let the sensory adventures begin! Here’s to making memories, one leaf at a time!
Age Suitability
This activity is good for toddlers aged children 3 years old and up with adult assistance.
Mess Level
The mess level for this activity is low.
Difficulty to Create
Low.
Skills Developed
Language development, shape recognition, color recognition, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, imaginative play, creativity.
Toddler and Preschooler Curriculums, Books & TV Show!
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
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
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.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
The Best Sensory Play Kits for Kids
Play is at the core of learning during the early years and it can take many forms. One of the most important of these is sensory play because it engages all of a child’s senses (taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing) and has a enoumous positive impact on brain development.
Our Sensory Play Kits are some fun and easy ways to keep your child engaged while at the same time using sensory play to nurture their mind!
Shop our ready made play kits here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
WILL YOU MAKE THIS LEAF NAME SENSORY BIN WITH YOUR CHILD THIS FALL? PIN IT FOR LATER!
