Easy Fall Sensory Bin for Preschoolers

This fall sensory bin is the perfect blend of color, creativity, and hands-on learning, making it one of the fall themed preschool activities. Designed to spark interest and improve motor coordination, sensory bins are an essential part of early childhood development.

In this fall sensory table idea, we’ll show you how to create a vibrant fall sensory bin using autumn-colored rice, seasonal flowers, rustic pine cones, and plenty of opportunities for scooping, pouring, and fine motor practice. This activity not only brings the beauty of fall into your classroom but also encourages meaningful sensory exploration for young learners.

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Let’s not mistake this fall sensory bin for mere entertainment – it’s a fundamental building block in preschoolers’ development. Sensory play is the gateway to sparking creativity, fine-tuning cognitive abilities, and refining those motor skills, all while embracing the autumnal wonders.

Our sensory bin for fall lets kids explore the magic of autumn while engaging their senses. We will uncover the benefits of sensory play and create a sensory-rich fall experience for your little ones.

Any sensory bin will pair well with other autumn themed activities and fall lesson plans for preschoolers. This sensory table idea for fall fit in particularly well with my Fall Preschool Centers.

Fall Sensory Table Ideas

Whether you are using a sensory table, bin, or even just a small sensory box, young children love sensory play!

Fall-themed sensory bins offer a dual purpose: addressing the sensory requirements of preschoolers while also providing a platform for them to delve into subjects like math, reading, fine motor skills, and science. This motivated me to compile a comprehensive collection of twenty top-tier fall themed sensory bins within a single post.

Easy Fall Sensory Bin

Just a quick walk through the craft aisle of a dollar store and you’ll have everything you need to make this easy sensory table idea for fall.

Materials

How to Create a Sensory Bin

Start by pouring yoru filler into the sensory bin or table. You only need an inch or two. We refer to this method for dying rice. We also used brown rice, which amplified our fall-like colors.

Then, start arranging all of the other materials on top of the rice. I like to add the containers and scoops in the corners and the flowers along the middle of the sensory bin.

It doesn’t really matter how you set it up, but you want it to look inviting and appealing.

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In this sensory bin, I used some of the glass milk bottles as vases for the fall foliage. This added some additional height to the bin, which immediately intrigued my preschoolers.

I also added a few different types of scoops, so my preschoolers could practice different hand and wrist motions while playing.

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Check out this post on how to create sensory bins. It’s your ultimate guide to creating the perfect sensory bin for learning.

Sensory Bin Rules

Sensory bins can get out of hand during play, which is frustrating to preschool teachers and parents. Here are a few tips and rules for introducing sensory bins to your preschoolers.

Sensory Bin Tips

  • Less is more when children are new to sensory play.
  • Keep the mess contained on a plastic shower curtain.

Rules for Sensory Bin Play

Establishing rules for how children use a sensory bin is a must! Here are the rules I discuss with my preschoolers.

  • Materials must stay in the sensory bin.
  • Avoid unnecessary messes.
  • If you make a mess, clean it up.

Colorful Sensory Bin for Fall

After quickly reminding my preschoolers of the rules we follow when playing with sensory materials, I then show them the sensory bin and describe all the items they will find in it.

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And my preschoolers quickly got to playing in their new fall sensory bin.

Don’t be fooled by the flowers in this bin, either. Mums and sunflowers are iconic of fall, and the boys in my class loved playing with them as much as the girls.

Scooping and Pouring Rice

The first thing my preschoolers did was to grab the biggest containers and start scooping and pouring the rice. They pouring from one container into the other, and back again. Scooping and pouring activities hone critical fine motor and life skills.

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You will also love this scooping and pouring patterns activity! And try this water scooping and pouring sensory table for the summertime!

Fall Sorting Activity

One math skill preschoolers naturally engage in during sensory play is sorting!

This preschooler scooped and poured until the milk bottle was full of rice, and then he used it as a vase for the flowers. Notice how he sorted through the silk flowers, picking out only the orange flowers.

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Then he pulled out all of the orange flowers and filled the vase with all the Indian corn, sunflowers, and other flowers. As he did this, he and his classmates jabbered away at each other.

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Easy Fall Sensory Bin

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Difficulty: easy

This colorful, inviting fall sensory bin is the perfect addition to your fall themed preschool activities. It incorporates fine motor skills such as scooping and pouring and has a warm, nostalgic autumn feel.

Materials

  • dyed rice
  • silk flowers
  • small pine cones
  • felt sunflowers
  • faux Indian corn
  • glass milk bottles
  • screw top containers
  • wooden spoons
  • wooden coffee scoops
  • small flower pots

Instructions

      1. Dye your rice ahead of time. We like this method for dying rice.
      2. Pour your filler into the sensory bin (about 1-2 inches deep).
      3. Arrange the other materials on top of the rice (I like to add the containers and scoops in the corners and the flowers along the middle of the sensory bin, but you can arrange however you like).
      4. You can use the glass milk bottles as vases for fall foliage and include a variety of scoops, if you choose.
      5. Before introducing the bin to the students, establish/review rules for sensory play.
      6. Share the sensory bin with the students and describe all of the included items.
      7. Allow the kids to jump in and freely play, explore, and learn.
      8. Skills you will likely observe and also will want to foster, include: scooping and pouring, sorting, dramatic play/role play, oral language development, and more.

Notes

I like to incorporate three basic rules for sensory play in my classroom:

  • Materials must stay in the sensory bin.
  • Avoid unnecessary messes.
  • If you make a mess, clean it up.

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