Popsugar Parenting Kid Activities The Best Sensory Bins For Toddlers Encourage Your Toddler's Creativity With These Cute (and Affordable) Sensory Bins 16 April 2021 by Sydni Ellis Image Source: etsy.com As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. If you buy a product we have recommended, we may receive affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work. Sand, dirt, water, food — if it's messy, my toddlers love playing with it! Sensory play is crucial for toddlers' development, as research has shown that combining the sense of touch with the senses of vision, hearing, taste, and smell builds cognitive skills. But just because you want your 2-year-old to explore their world doesn't mean you can't offer them opportunities to do so in a safe, controlled way. (You know, a way that won't leave sticky residue all over your kitchen or your toddler covered head to toe in mud.) Sensory toys and Montessori toys are great options to engage their brain, but if you are looking for some silly, messy, colourful fun, then try sensory bins! Premade sensory bins are filled with rice or beads in all the colours of the rainbow, tools to explore, toys, shapes, and more objects that make playtime exciting — and contain the mess to one bin! Shop some of the cutest sensory bins for toddlers ahead. Related: 17 Fidget Toys That'll Help Your Child Focus Space Explorer Sensory Kit Image Source: etsy.com The stars are aligned — or not, it's your choice — in this Space Explorer Sensory Kit ($34)! It comes with colourful marble planets, toy rocket ships, wooden stars, aliens, an astronaut and tools for scooping and playing. Space Explorer Sensory Kit $34 from etsy.com Buy Now Little Bee Sensory Farm Sensory Bin Image Source: etsy.com How precious is this Little Bee Sensory Farm Sensory Bin ($30 and up)? Toddlers will love exploring this set, which includes farm animals, hay, a vegetable garden, a shovel and rake, and more. Little Bee Sensory Farm Sensory Bin $30 from etsy.com Buy Now Good Day Felt Lady Bug Garden Sensory Bin Image Source: etsy.com The Good Day Felt Lady Bug Garden Sensory Bin ($24) is the most adorable backyard ever! It comes with fences, green rice "grass," daisies, ladybugs, planters, shrubs, rocks, and wooden letters that spell "bloom." Good Day Felt Lady Bug Garden Sensory Bin $24 from etsy.com Buy Now Rainbow Bins Mermaid Sensory Bin Image Source: etsy.com Does your toddler dream of being a mermaid? Get this Rainbow Bins Mermaid Sensory Bin ($38), which comes with blue rice or orange-scented playdough, wooden mermaids, seashells, gems, a chest, and tools for play. Rainbow Bins Mermaid Sensory Bin $38 from etsy.com Buy Now Dinosaur Play Sand Kit Image Source: amazon.com Dinosaurs in every colour roam in this Dinosaur Play Sand Kit ($30, originally $35), which also includes fun dinosaur molds to imprint their shapes in the sand. Dinosaur Play Sand Kit $30 from amazon.com Buy Now Farm Sand Play Set Image Source: amazon.com Spend a day on the farm with this cute Farm Sand Play Set ($30)! It includes farm workers, eight animals, fences, a utility tractor, play sand and more. Farm Sand Play Set $30 from amazon.com Buy Now Set of 12 Toddlers Montessori Sensory Bin Image Source: amazon.com If your toddler could spend hours digging and playing pretend kitchen, then they will love this Set of 12 Toddlers Montessori Sensory Bin ($35), featuring scoops, cups, chopsticks, pots, and more, made with natural wood. Set of 12 Toddlers Montessori Sensory Bin $35 from amazon.com Buy Now Little Wriggles Tea Party Sensory Bin Image Source: etsy.com You're invited to a tea party, filled with tons of sprinkles! This Little Wriggles Tea Party Sensory Bin Bin ($35) has rainbow-coloured rice that looks like sprinkles, plates, and a teapot that is just right for teatime. Garden Critters Sensory Bin Image Source: target.com Plant flowers and play with creepy crawlers with this Garden Critters Sensory Bin ($20), which comes with green and tan sand, rocks, a shovel, and little toys to play with. Garden Critters Sensory Bin $20 from target.com Buy Now Creativity for Kids Ocean & Sand Sensory Bin Image Source: michaels.com Go under the sea with this fun Creativity for Kids Ocean & Sand Sensory Bin ($20), featuring a "beach" with sand, animals, and rocks, and an "ocean" with water beads, fish, sharks, and more. Creativity for Kids Ocean & Sand Sensory Bin $20 from michaels.com Buy Now Creativity for Kids Construction Zone Sensory Bin Image Source: michaels.com It's a toddler-size construction zone! This Creativity for Kids Construction Zone Sensory Bin ($20) is perfect for mini-builders, where you can play with trucks, a sand roller, a shovel, construction signs and more. Kids Construction Zone Sensory Bin $20 from michaels.com Buy Now Creativity for Kids Sensory Bin Outer Space Image Source: amazon.com Go out of this world with this Creativity for Kids Sensory Bin Outer Space ($20), including aliens, space explorers, stars, and outer space rocks. Creativity for Kids Sensory Bin Outer Space $20 from amazon.com Buy Now Messy Play World Ocean Sensory Kit Image Source: etsy.com Discover the shells and fish floating underneath pretty blue water beads in this Messy Play World Ocean Sensory Kit ($26). Messy Play World Ocean Sensory Kit $26 from etsy.com Buy Now Modern Silo Garden Sensory Bin Image Source: etsy.com Help your kids fall in love with gardening with this spring-themed Modern Silo Garden Sensory Bin ($47, originally $52, and up). It comes with black-dyed rice to look like dirt, fun plant toys, a rake, and a personalized wooden name. Modern Silo Garden Sensory Bin $47 from etsy.com Buy Now Montessori Dads Way Construction Site Sensory Bin Image Source: etsy.com Four construction vehicles are included in this Montessori Dads Way Construction Site Sensory Bin ($35), as well as black rocks, multicolored pebbles, wooden cubes, and black-dyed pasta. Montessori Dads Way Construction Site Sensory Bin $35 from etsy.com Buy Now Little Bee Sensory Busy Bee Sensory Bin Image Source: etsy.com Although the Little Bee Sensory Busy Bee Sensory Bin ($30 and up) is for toddlers, I totally want one for my desk, too. It comes with gorgeous flowers, little bees, gems, pompoms, and tools to scoop and play with the rice. Little Bee Sensory Busy Bee Sensory Bin $30 from etsy.com Buy Now Play at Home Mom Co Enchanted Fairy Garden Sensory Kit Image Source: etsy.com This Play at Home Mom Co Enchanted Fairy Garden Sensory Kit ($34) is the stuff of legends and fairytales. It is made with green seeds and gems, with wooden slices, pinecones, butterflies, fairies, mini branches, sand, flowers, and other hidden gems. Play at Home Mom Co Enchanted Fairy Garden Sensory Kit $34 from etsy.com Buy Now Play at Home Mom Co Frozen Inspired Sensory Kit Image Source: etsy.com Inspired by Frozen, this Play at Home Mom Co Frozen Inspired Sensory Kit ($34) features blue and white rice, snowflakes, white glitter pom poms, gems, a frosted tree, peg dolls, and more. Play at Home Mom Co Frozen Inspired Sensory Kit $34 from etsy.com Buy Now Steezy Designs by Kay Nature Sensory Kit Image Source: etsy.com Embrace spring with this pretty Steezy Designs by Kay Nature Sensory Kit ($48). It comes with white and green filler, colourful beads, felt flowers and bees, wood slices, and a mini bowl and spoon. Steezy Designs by Kay Nature Sensory Kit $48 from etsy.com Buy Now Oh So Fun Kids Rainbow Sensory Bin Image Source: etsy.com I'm obsessed with the rainbow themed Just Add Imagination Co Rainbow Sensory Tray ($23 and up). This one comes with rainbow-coloured rice, sorting cups, tokens, links, buttons, pom poms, stickers, and more. Just Add Imagination Co Rainbow Sensory Tray $23 from etsy.com Buy Now Ella Roos Academy Rainforest Animals and Plants Sensory Bin Image Source: etsy.com Escape to a beautiful rainforest with this Ella Roos Academy Rainforest Animals and Plants Sensory Bin ($20 and up). Little ones will love playing with the animals and trees in a bin of green rice. Ella Roos Academy Rainforest Animals and Plants Sensory Bin $20 from etsy.com Buy Now Humble Kind Shop Unicorn Play Dough Kit Image Source: etsy.com The Humble Kind Shop Unicorn Play Dough Kit ($31 and up) is a pastel explosion, complete with colourful unicorn toys, gems, rocks, flowers, and homemade glitter play dough. It's so adorable! Humble Kind Shop Unicorn Play Dough Kit $31 from etsy.com Buy Now Play at Home Mom Co Blippi Inspired Play Dough and Magic Sand Sensory Kit Image Source: etsy.com Blippi fans will love this Play at Home Mom Co Blippi Inspired Play Dough and Magic Sand Sensory Kit ($24)! It comes with a Blippi-themed peg, wooden sunglasses, numbers, buttons, beads, blue glitter dough, sand, and more. Play at Home Mom Co Blippi Inspired Play Dough and Magic Sand Sensory Kit $24 from etsy.com Buy Now Kay and Hayes Co Outer Space Sensory Bin Image Source: etsy.com Mini astronauts-in-training will enjoy searching for the alien, arranging the planets and stars, and landing on the moon with this Kay and Hayes Co Outer Space Sensory Bin ($34 and up). Kay and Hayes Co Outer Space Sensory Bin $34 from etsy.com Buy Now Little Bee Sensory Sun and Sky Sensory Bin Image Source: etsy.com Play with rays of sunshine with yellow-coloured beans over a bed of blue-dyed rice in this Little Bee Sensory Sun and Sky Sensory Bin ($30 and up). It also comes with a rainbow, fluffy clouds, a toy aeroplane, utensils, and Scrabble letters that spell out "Breeze." Little Bee Sensory Sun and Sky Sensory Bin $30 from etsy.com Buy Now Kid ActivitiesToysToddlersKid Shopping