I don't understand the whole "sensory bin" thing?

[Anonymous]

I just got some water beads for DS and even I love to play with them. I spent at least 30 minutes today messing with them!

OP, if you don't "get it," there is a lot to read about the topic.

Here's a pretty simple explanation to start:

https://www.goodstart.org.au/news-and-advice/october-2016/exploring-the-benefits-of-sensory-play

[Anonymous]

Basically it's a fancy, academic term for letting your kids get into stuff. Like a "yes space" instead of a play pen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get that some parents use them to occupy their kids but humor me please, how is it educational?

It isn't "educational" - it is sensory. You enliven senses and create brain synapses by letting the toddler explore different textures with his/her palms and bottoms of feet as well as whole boys is some cases. It is like exposing your child to music or a foreign language - all creating synapses.

lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get that some parents use them to occupy their kids but humor me please, how is it educational?

It isn't "educational" - it is sensory. You enliven senses and create brain synapses by letting the toddler explore different textures with his/her palms and bottoms of feet as well as whole boys is some cases. It is like exposing your child to music or a foreign language - all creating synapses.

lol.

No one uses "lol" anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just got some water beads for DS and even I love to play with them. I spent at least 30 minutes today messing with them!

OP, if you don't "get it," there is a lot to read about the topic.

Here's a pretty simple explanation to start:

https://www.goodstart.org.au/news-and-advice/october-2016/exploring-the-benefits-of-sensory-play

Thanks! This is great!

[Anonymous]

What's wrong with play dough?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's wrong with play dough?

As far as I can tell, this is a sensory material. So put some in a bowl and call it a sensory bin, baby!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's wrong with play dough?

As far as I can tell, this is a sensory material. So put some in a bowl and call it a sensory bin, baby!

My 18 month old isn't strong enough to squish or roll playdough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get that some parents use them to occupy their kids but humor me please, how is it educational?

It isn't "educational" - it is sensory. You enliven senses and create brain synapses by letting the toddler explore different textures with his/her palms and bottoms of feet as well as whole boys is some cases. It is like exposing your child to music or a foreign language - all creating synapses.

lol.

Looks like the "lol" poster missed out on some synapses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's wrong with play dough?

As far as I can tell, this is a sensory material. So put some in a bowl and call it a sensory bin, baby!

My 18 month old isn't strong enough to squish or roll playdough.

All the more reason to use it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 18 month old loves anything "sensory" - she wants her shoes off in the grass and sandbox. Last Tuesday she got a big scratch on her arm from hugging a rose bush! We started a sensory class when she was about a year old - lights, music, loud drumming, balls and an activity like a pool of spaghetti or finger paints or water beads. I just watch her closely and tell her not to put the thing in her mouth and she minds.

Her nanny set up various sensory bins for her outside - those huge, shallow Sterilite under the bed storage bins with lids. DD loves playing out there!

Uhmm...I put a slide, a hose, a bag of river rocks, a mud pit, and a sandbox outside. My kids love playing out there too. I don't get the "sensory bin" thing. What is in there?

Haha ! We have a slide, a hose (and sprinklers that she loves), a whole side of the house of rocks and a sandbox, too! In her sensory boxes she has water beads, colored rice, koosh balls and stretchy worms, puffs, and a box of dried beans. They are just for fun and sensory experiences - no big deal. She loves them! And so do all her friends who come over for play dates.

Sounds like plastic, plastic, and more plastic. Please check your privelege and think about the planet. Those things will be on the planet 200 years after your child uses them for a year or two. Please consider more sustainable options than kooshes etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 18 month old loves anything "sensory" - she wants her shoes off in the grass and sandbox. Last Tuesday she got a big scratch on her arm from hugging a rose bush! We started a sensory class when she was about a year old - lights, music, loud drumming, balls and an activity like a pool of spaghetti or finger paints or water beads. I just watch her closely and tell her not to put the thing in her mouth and she minds.

Her nanny set up various sensory bins for her outside - those huge, shallow Sterilite under the bed storage bins with lids. DD loves playing out there!

Uhmm...I put a slide, a hose, a bag of river rocks, a mud pit, and a sandbox outside. My kids love playing out there too. I don't get the "sensory bin" thing. What is in there?

Haha ! We have a slide, a hose (and sprinklers that she loves), a whole side of the house of rocks and a sandbox, too! In her sensory boxes she has water beads, colored rice, koosh balls and stretchy worms, puffs, and a box of dried beans. They are just for fun and sensory experiences - no big deal. She loves them! And so do all her friends who come over for play dates.

Sounds like plastic, plastic, and more plastic. Please check your privelege and think about the planet. Those things will be on the planet 200 years after your child uses them for a year or two. Please consider more sustainable options than kooshes etc

All made from recycles materials.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't anyone just leave the cupboard open and the kid can play with stuff? My daughter is 8, so maybe I'm a really old mom, but I used to put kid safe stuff on lower shelves and open up the door to one cabinet and let her pull stuff out - didn't have a labeled "sensory bin" b/c that sounds super contrived, but i definitely let her play with household stuff - she used to love throwing pasta away one noodle at a time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't anyone just leave the cupboard open and the kid can play with stuff? My daughter is 8, so maybe I'm a really old mom, but I used to put kid safe stuff on lower shelves and open up the door to one cabinet and let her pull stuff out - didn't have a labeled "sensory bin" b/c that sounds super contrived, but i definitely let her play with household stuff - she used to love throwing pasta away one noodle at a time

Of course! Too many poster here think that Sensory Bins and regular childhood exploration are mutually exclusive.

Don't make sensory bins if you don't want to.

[Anonymous]

My toddler eats his yogurt with his hands. The s that a sensory bin?