Play Create Explore: Coffee Bean Sensory Bin for Babies and Toddlers

I'm a huge fan of the one or two ingredient sensory bins for babies and toddlers. Sure, we've done more elaborate sensory bins in the past, but it's often the most simple sensory bins and activities that hold my children's interest the most. With my youngest son B, very simple sensory setups keep him very entertained. Our latest simple sensory bin, was just some coffee beans poured into a small plastic container with a few different divided compartments. This was a big plus because there were already 3 different spots for him to pour and transfer the beans into.

I have many readers ask me

how to keep their children engaged in sensory play and other activities

The biggest thing I tell them, is to

NOT INTRODUCE ALL THE PLAY ELEMENTS AT ONE TIME.

All I did was give him a small spoon at first. Then later when I could see he was starting to tire of it, I gave him another small plastic container which extended his interest.

Sensory Bin Safety

I'm a firm believer that young babies and toddlers can enjoy most of the sensory activities and materials that older children do. You should always watch babies and younger children with extreme vigilance when playing with sensory bins and material, and use your parental discretion when choosing your sensory materials based on your child's age and developmental ability.

As you can see, my 16 month old, really enjoyed his simple coffee bean mini sensory bin!

A simple sweep and I was able to save the beans for another time!