“Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way…”
“Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock…”
“I love those J-I-N-G-L-E bells, oh!”
Christmas is on its way, and our toddlers and preschoolers could not be more excited! But trying to keep their little hands away from the Christmas tree might be a full-time job, and that’s why I love bringing out engaging activities like playdough and sensory bins. This jingle bell sensory bin has been a big hit at our house, and it might be simpler than you might think.
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As I mentioned in this post about sensory bin storage, we keep a big basket down in our basement with all of our sensory bin materials: dried corn, peas, and beans, uncooked popcorn, and various shades of rice and noodles. (You can click here for instant access to our favorite tutorials about dyeing rice and noodles.)
See more Christmas ideas in the Ultimate Christmas Planning post from Freddie’s Mummy UK!
Related posts:
And be sure to head to our Resource Library to get ALL of our winter learning freebies, boredom busters, and more!
I had dyed a bunch of noodles green for St. Patrick’s Day. The variety of textures between the wagon wheels, rotini noodles, and shells is a lot of fun for tactile play. I thought it would make the perfect base for this new jingle bell sensory bin. (And noodles are a LOT easier to clean up than rice, which was the base of our last sensory bin!)
We have a set of multicolored bells (similar) that are a great size for my 6-year-old’s hands. I also added a few extra accessories to the bin:
- green and red cups (these are our favorite)
- ice cube trays
- a plastic tablespoon
- and a jar (glass or plastic, whatever your kids can handle)
You can also work on patterning and fine motor skills with this sensory bin! Place the bells in the ice cube tray (use tweezers, if you like), and then lace the bells on a shoelace or pipe cleaner.
If you try this jingle bell sensory bin, let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
While your kids are home from school this winter, try out this list of 30 “boredom-busting” activities for the whole family!
Here’s what’s included:
- a weekly calendar template with tips for creating a flexible family schedule
- a “menu” of more than 20 low-prep activities to keep your children happily engaged
- lists of recommended seasonal books to grab at the library
- a family reading log
- our favorite resources for learning at home
- AND 30 winter boredom busters!
