How to Make an Easy Fall Sensory Bin

Ahh, fall! Bring on the cooler weather, apple picking, football season, and of course… pumpkin spice!  You can usher in fall in your home with this pumpkin pie-themed easy fall sensory bin.

Why sensory play?

Sensory play has SO many benefits!  As a former teacher and now mom to two young girls, I am a huge advocate for sensory play.  

Some of the benefits of sensory play include…

• Enhances cognitive development: Sensory play stimulates brain development by engaging multiple senses, which helps with learning and problem-solving skills.
• Improves fine motor skills: Activities like pouring, scooping, and manipulating objects are great for building hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
• Supports emotional regulation: Sensory play offers a calming effect and helps children manage their emotions through soothing, repetitive actions.
• Encourages creativity and imagination: Sensory play provides open-ended play opportunities that inspire creativity and imaginative thinking.  (You’ll see that this particular sensory bin is great at this!)
• Boosts language skills: Sensory play is a great way to introduce new vocabulary and concepts through descriptive language and interactive play.
• Facilitates exploration and curiosity: This kind of play allows children to explore different textures, sounds, and smells, fostering curiosity and discovery.
• Strengthens parent-child bond: Sensory play provides opportunities for parents and caregivers to engage in meaningful, interactive play with their children.

Okay, so now that I’ve sold you on the benefits of sensory play… let’s dive in and find out how you can make this easy fall sensory bin at home!

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Supplies needed

• Rolled oats
• Cinnamon sticks
• Mini pumpkins – ours are from the Dollar Tree, but here’s another great option on Amazon
• Cotton balls
• Pumpkin pie recipe cards
• Bin or container – I used a Dollar Tree bin
• Tools for sensory play – we have these and love them
• Bowls and/or mini pie tins

Assembling your sensory bin

Assembly couldn’t be much easier!  Pour your rolled oats into your bin or container of choice.  Then scatter in cinnamon sticks, mini pumpkins, and cotton balls!  

Cut out the pumpkin pie recipe cards and place them next to your sensory bin.

Make sure to provide a variety of tools, bowls, pie pans, and any other accessories you can dream up!

Time for sensory play!

Four-year-old Ella had SO much fun scooping, pouring, counting, and creating pies for our family!  These recipe cards are an excellent preschool math activity, but your child will never know they’re doing math.  As far as they know, they’re just makin’ pies!

One of my favorite things about this kind of sensory bin is that it lends itself beautifully to all kinds of imaginative play.  After I snapped these photos, Ella transitioned from sitting and playing in front of the sensory, to playing “bakery lady” – AKA playing and baking in her play kitchen for almost an hour!  That kind of play probably wouldn’t have happened without the prompting of this fun and easy sensory bin.

Of course, a little safety reminder: some of the small parts in this sensory bin could be a choking hazard for your littlest learners.  If your child still puts everything in his or her mouth, consider using larger pumpkins.  The rolled oats are taste safe but are not meant to be eaten by the handful.  Always use your best judgment and supervise sensory play!

Extending the pumpkin pie-themed fun

Fall is such a fun season for pumpkin-themed reading and learning!  Here are some great books to check out to extend the learning in your home or classroom:

• You’re My Little Pumpkin Pie by Nicola Edwards
• Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin, Pie by Jill Esbaum 
• The Perfect Pumpkin Pie by Denys Cazet
• I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson 

And this pumpkin life cycle unit includes a printable mini book, a sequencing activity, a matching worksheet, and vocabulary cards.  Check it out here!

Looking for apples instead of pumpkins?  You’re going to LOVE this apple tree name craft.  Read about how we used it HERE!

More fun sensory bin recipe cards

Can’t get enough of these sensory bin recipe cards?  Don’t worry, I’ve got more for you to check out!

• Witch’s Brew Recipe Cards
• Hot Cocoa Recipe Cards
• Love Soup Recipe Cards

Will you try this fun and easy fall sensory bin at home or in your classroom?  If you do, I’d LOVE to hear about it!  Comment below or message me on Instagram to tell me about it!