Snow and trucks—two things kids absolutely love! Combine them in a sensory bin, and you’ve got a recipe for hours of imaginative play. When I introduced this Snow Trucks Sensory Bin to my kids, they were immediately drawn to the texture of the “snow” (rock salt) and couldn’t wait to start scooping, hauling, and stacking with their toy trucks. The addition of pine cones, bottle brush trees, and jingle bells made it feel like a little winter wonderland right in our living room.
This sensory bin brings together everything kids love about winter and vehicles in one engaging activity. The rock salt “snow” is fun to scoop and push around, while the trucks, pine cones, and trees inspire endless pretend play. It’s a great way to keep kids busy and entertained during the holiday season.
Why You’ll Love This Christmas Sensory Bin
You’ll love this sensory bin because it’s simple to set up, uses affordable materials, and sparks creativity and pretend play. It’s a great activity for developing fine motor skills, encouraging problem-solving, and keeping kids happily entertained. Plus, the “snow” is reusable, so you can bring out this bin again and again during the holiday season.
Materials You’ll Need:
- Rock salt (to create the “snow”)
- Toy trucks (dump trucks, loaders, or any construction vehicles)
- Bottle brush trees
- Pine cones (various sizes)
- Jingle bells
How to Set Up the Snow Trucks Sensory Bin:
1. Prepare the Snow Base
Pour rock salt into a large sensory bin or shallow container. Spread it out evenly to create a snowy base. This will give the trucks a realistic surface to “drive” on.
2. Add the Winter Details
Scatter bottle brush trees and pine cones throughout the bin to create a winter scene. Use a mix of large and small pine cones to add variety.
3. Include Jingle Bells
Toss in a handful of jingle bells for an extra festive touch. These can act as “cargo” for the trucks to haul or add a fun auditory element as kids play.
4. Add the Trucks
Place the toy trucks in the bin. Encourage your child to use the trucks to scoop, push, and transport the salt, bells, and pine cones.
5. Set the Scene
Invite your child to play and explore. You can suggest ideas like building a snowy road, delivering pine cones to a “forest,” or loading the jingle bells into a truck for delivery.
This Snow Trucks Sensory Bin is a simple yet magical way to combine sensory exploration and imaginative play. Kids will love creating their own snowy scenes, while parents will appreciate the quiet focus this activity brings. It’s the perfect winter activity for little ones who love trucks and Christmas fun!
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.
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.
