Christmas Sensory Bin for Toddlers (Safe Fillers + Ideas)

Sensory play is simple, but toddler safety needs some thought, so I have sorted the ideas by age.

What you need

• A shallow, wide tub: an under-bed storage box or a large baking dish.
• A base filler (see the table below).
• Tools: scoops, measuring cups, a funnel, tongs, small cups, an ice cube tray.
• Things to find: large ornaments, jingle bells big enough to be safe, toy reindeer, cookie cutters.
• An old sheet, towel or shower curtain to put under the bin.

Fillers by age

What to avoid

• Water beads. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has warned about serious injuries and deaths when children swallowed water beads, which can expand inside the body. Its Water Beads Information Center advises removing them from any environment with children.
• Glitter and sequins. Easily inhaled, eaten or rubbed in eyes, and almost impossible to clean up.
• Small jingle bells, beads, buttons and marbles with under-3s or mouthing children.
• Glass ornaments or anything that could shatter.
• Button batteries in light-up toys. Swallowed button batteries can cause severe injury quickly; keep battery compartments secured with screws.
• Dried beans for young children: small, hard and easy to push into noses and ears.

If you are not sure whether something is too small for your child, the AAP’s choking prevention page is a helpful reference.

6 Christmas sensory bin ideas

1. Snowy scoop bin (18 months+)

White crinkled paper and large white pom-poms, with measuring cups and a bowl. Scoop “snow” from one side to the other. Add a toy polar bear.

2. Wrapping station (2+)

Fabric scraps, small boxes, ribbon pieces under 6 inches (15 cm), and a few large toy items to “wrap.” Toddlers love putting things in boxes and taking them out.

3. Ornament water play (18 months+)

A shallow tub of water with shatterproof plastic ornaments, a ladle and a colander. Fish out the ornaments, count them, sort by color. Stay within reach the whole time.

4. Cookie cutter rice (3+)

Dyed or plain rice with Christmas cookie cutters and small bowls. Fill the cutters, tip them out, scoop.

5. Reindeer hunt (3+)

Oats with toy reindeer, animals or toy cars hidden inside. Use tongs or a spoon to find them all.

6. Color sort bin (2+)

Large red, green and white pom-poms or fabric pieces mixed together, with three bowls to sort by color. A great early math activity.

Setup tips to limit mess

1. Put the bin on the floor, on top of a large sheet. Shake the sheet outside after.
2. Start with a small amount of filler, about 2–3 cm (1 inch) deep. You can always add more.
3. One rule: “The snow stays in the bin.” Repeat it calmly.
4. Have a broom or handheld vacuum ready for rice or oats.
5. Store dry bins in a lidded box to reuse throughout December.

Supervision

Sensory bins are always a “sit with them” activity for toddlers. Stay within arm’s reach, especially with water or anything they might put in their mouth. When the session is over, put the bin away out of reach.

When you want less mess

On days when you cannot face rice on the floor, a laminated busy book gives a similar “sort, match and place” experience without any loose filler. My toddler busy book guide explains how to make one and includes a free 2-page sample: an ornament color sort mat and pieces, which pairs well with the color sort bin idea above. Our Christmas Toddler Busy Book has 14 activities for ages 2–4, including that ornament color sort, counting 1–10 and decorate-the-tree.

For more December ideas in the 3–5 range, my Christmas activities for preschoolers guide has fine motor, counting and calm-down activities.

Talk while they play

Sensory play is a great time for words. Name colors, sizes and actions: “big ornament,” “full cup,” “pour it out.” Count objects as they find them. You do not need to teach; just describe what they are doing.

A shallow tub, a safe filler for their age and you right beside them. That is a sensory bin toddlers will come back to all month.