These Under-$20 Sensory Bin Supplies Will Keep Your Kids Occupied for Hours This Summer
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Boost their imagination and creativity with these sensory bin fillers, starting at $8.
Parents
Kids get so many benefits from imaginative play. Personally, sensory bins are one of my favorite ways to keep kiddos busy for hours while encouraging their creativity. But what is a sensory bin, exactly? They’re shallow bins or play tables filled with items like kinetic sand, toys, rakes, shovels, and other tactile objects. As a mom, I love that the sensory bin fillers can be tailored to your kid’s interests, whether they’re super into construction vehicles, bugs, the ocean, or dinosaurs.I’ve tested out many sensory bin ideas for my two kids over the years, and I’ve learned that some objects engage kids more than others. From plastic bug toys to colorful Play-Doh, these 12 creative sensory bin supplies are all under $20 for affordable summer fun.Kinetic Sand Ultimate Sandisfying Set
Amazon
$20
$17
Buy on Amazon
This kinetic sand play set comes with 2 pounds of pink, yellow, and teal sand, along with 10 tools for playing. Kids will love shaping the colorful sand with tools like scoops, molds, and cutters. The set “provides hours of sensory hands-on play with sand in the home without the mess,” wrote one of more than 16,000 five-star raters on Amazon. “The cookie cutters and measuring cups make little hills to drive little toy trucks over. The sand holds shapes you create.”OuMuaMua Plastic Dinosaur Figures
Amazon
$13
$10
Buy on Amazon
Dino-loving kiddos will enjoy stomping these figures around their sensory bins. The six-piece set comes with a T-Rex, Stegosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Monoclonius, Acanthosis, and Ceratosaurus, measuring 6 to 7 inches each. They’re “sturdy and well-painted,” shared one Amazon shopper, while a grandparent chimed in, “These dinosaurs are indestructible and can withstand a beating and chewing.”Play-Doh Modeling Clay 10-Pack
Amazon
$8
Buy on Amazon
There’s nothing quite as iconic as good, old-fashioned Play-Doh. This set comes with 10 different colors of Play-Doh, each in its own resealable, air-tight storage container. More than 50,000 Amazon shoppers have given the Play-Doh set a five-star rating, calling it “a new and fun toy to add to sensory play” and “good for sensory development in toddlers.”Learning Resources Helping Hands Sensory Scoops
Amazon
$15
Buy on Amazon
Digging tools are essential for exploring sensory bins, and they’re a great way to help kids develop fine motor skills. This four-pack of plastic tools comes with a funnel, scoop, and tools for sifting and pouring. “Each uniquely shaped scoop offers a new way for little hands to explore and engage with materials like sand, water, or homemade sensory bins, promoting varied hand movements and grips,” said one Amazon shopper. “It not only captivates my daughter's attention but also supports her in mastering skills such as precise hand movements, hand-eye coordination, and tactile exploration.”Fajiabo Toy Construction Cars
Amazon
$13
$10
Buy on Amazon
Kids love driving toy cars and trucks through any playscape, and sensory bins are no different. The kit comes with nine vehicles, including cranes, dump trucks, and diggers. What’s more, over 7,000 Amazon customers have given the truck set a five-star rating, with one buyer sharing, “I bought these for my 2-and-a-half-year-old to play with in a sensory bin of dried beans. He loves them.”Madzee Portable Sensory Bin With Lid
Amazon
$18
Buy on Amazon
Of course, you need something to put your sensory bin fillers in. This highly-rated, 15-inch bin comes with a lid so you can close all of your sensory materials into one container for storage (and to prevent a mess). In fact, one shopper called the bin “perfect for storing kinetic sand.” The bin is also durable and easy to clean, so it’ll last through all your kid’s different sensory bin adventures.Kinetic Sand Beach Sand
Amazon
$14
Buy on Amazon
Kinetic sand is one of the best bases to start with when building a sensory bin. This natural sand product is safe for kids and is lots of fun to play with, whether you’re using your hands or digging around with tools. This bag of kinetic sand contains more than three pounds of sand and has received more than 5,000 five-star ratings on Amazon. “It molds well and cleans easily, it stays the same consistency for years and I know this because we’ve had some of ours for that long,” said one purchaser. “It’s also great for sensory stimulation and can entertain my son for a long time, which is rare for him unless it’s an electronic.”Funcorn Toys Plastic Sea Animal Set
Amazon
$15
Buy on Amazon
Kids will love playing with these 2-inch plastic toys, which come in shapes like fish, octopi, jellyfish, turtles, and otters. Shoppers reported that the creative figurines are “perfect for a sensory bin” and that they’ve “provided plenty of opportunities for imaginative play.” The aquatic set comes with 46 ocean creatures.Framendino Mini Sand Rakes
Amazon
$8
Buy on Amazon
Made from lightweight bamboo, this three-pack of adorable rakes reminds me of a zen garden. They’d be perfect for kids to use while shaping and digging in kinetic sand. Each rake has a different style, so they’ll each leave different patterns when dragged through sand. The rakes come “exactly” as expected, said one Amazon shopper who left a five-star review.Melissa and Doug Sunny Patch Bag of Bugs
Amazon
$10
Buy on Amazon
Melissa and Doug is known for its bright, colorful kids toys, like this 10-pack of beetles, worms, ladybugs, and other insects that make great sensory bin additions. The toys can help kids learn about different types of bugs and imagine themselves immersed in a bug’s world. In addition to noting that the bugs are “good for sensory play,” Amazon reviewers shared that the pieces are “big enough that I don’t have to worry about a choking hazard.”Coobbar Stackable Craft Organizer Bins
Amazon
$12
Buy on Amazon
This set of five stackable bins is a wonderful option for teachers or parents with more than one child. Simply create a sensory bin for each kiddo and keep them busy and playing creatively for hours on end. And since the bins are all different colors, siblings won’t get theirs mixed up. “These were great for the kids to use slime, kinetic sand, and foam in,” said one shopper. “They're also great for a little water play or shallow sensory trays.”LYFJXX Acrylic Seashells
Amazon
$13
Buy on Amazon
There are nearly 100 acrylic seashells in this colorful toy set, which can help complete a beach- or ocean-themed sensory bin. The eye-catching shells come in vibrant colors like pink, blue, and yellow and have grooves and lines just like real shells for a tactile touch. Amazon shoppers were able to fit the small shells into sensory bottles and noted that they’re great for a classroom setting as well.Shop More Toy Deals for Parents:These Under-$20 Outdoor Toys Will Entertain My Kid More Than Her iPad This SummerAmazon’s Best Magnetic Tile Sales Are Up to 60% Off: Shop 15 Sets From $12Lego Just Dropped 3 Brand-New ‘Gabby’s Dollhouse’ Sets—and They Start at Just $15 on Amazon For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Parents.We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.
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