We love these colorful, fluttery insects. We try to catch them with nets, observe them with magnifying glasses, and even grow them in butterfly egg hatcheries. Butterflies are fascinating creatures. So help your kids explore more about butterflies with this easy butterfly sensory bin.

A sensory bin is a container filled with small items that provide stimulation to multiple senses. So it will have bright colors (visual stimulation), it might have things that rattle or rustle (audio stimulation), it might have a scented component (olfactory stimulation), and it will probably have multiple textures. It might even vary in temperature as well, and some sensory bins are also edible.

>> See more Butterfly Learning Activities

This easy butterfly sensory bin is perfect for early elementary, but probably not that good for toddlers or early preschoolers. Always use a sensory bin with supervision!

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Benefits of using Sensory Bins

Sensory bins are a fantastic way to engage children of all ages in play. They provide a safe environment for the child to explore and interact with different materials while honing their fine motor skills and gaining sensorial knowledge.

Kids can use imaginative play while they experiment with sand, water beads, and other sensory objects. There are plenty of benefits that using sensory bins can provide-they have been known to improve problem-solving abilities, practice hand-eye coordination, encourage exploration, awaken creativity as well as enhance self-esteem.

So if you’re looking for an educational activity that’s irresistible for your little one, look no further than setting up a fun sensory bin!

Try this edible butterfly life cycle to add to your insect lessons.

Recommended Butterfly Books

One of the best ways to make any sensory bin, like this easy butterfly sensory bin, into a great educational experience is to pair it up with related reading. Here’s a selection of some of our favorite spring butterfly books!

Explore My World Butterflies My, Oh My–A Butterfly!: All About Butterflies (Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library)Ten Magic Butterflies National Geographic Readers: Caterpillar to Butterfly A Butterfly Is Patient: (Nature Books for Kids, Children’s Books Ages 3-5, Award Winning Children’s Books)Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt: (Nature Book for Kids, Gardening and Vegetable Planting, Outdoor Nature Book)

A yellow butterfly in a child's hands as part of the easy butterfly sensory bin.

Recommended Butterfly Activity Kits

Our easy butterfly sensory bin is a great introduction to your studies on butterflies! Keep the learning fun going with some of these amazing butterfly kits.

Whether you choose to grow your own butterflies, observe a model set of them, or catch some in the wild to study before releasing them again, there’s a kit for all ages and abilities. It’s a great way to get outside and get into nature too.

Butterfly Growth Cycle, Animal Growth Cycle Biological Model Insect Lore – Butterfly Growing Kit – With Voucher to Redeem Caterpillars Later Telescopic Butterfly Nets for Kids 3 Packs, Outdoor Explorer Catching Kits Including Catching Nets/ Insect Mesh Cage Wooden Puzzles for Kids Ages 4-8, 5 Layers Life Cycle of a Butterfly Life Cycle of Butterfly -Montessori Animals – Teach Aids Tool REALBUG Butterfly Lifecycle 4pc Set , White

Supplies:

To create your easy butterfly sensory bin, you’ll need:

Large Plastic Bin
Foam Beads
Pom Poms
Artificial Flowers
Butterfly Cut-Outs

Directions:

1. Add foam beads to the sensory bin and spread them into a thin layer.

2. Add pom poms and artificial flowers. It’s better to use items the same color as each other.

Blue foam beads and blue flowers form the bottom of the easy butterfly sensory bin.

3. Now the final step is to place butterfly cutouts around the bin. For an extra touch, you could add a hint of smell with essential oil.

A child's hand picks up a butterfly out of the easy butterfly sensory bin

If you’re looking for a simple butterfly activity, check out this Easy Butterfly Craft. Perfect for little ones.

Play with the easy butterfly sensory bin!

Now your child can explore all the supplies and treasures included in your sensory bin. Wasn’t that easy?

My son picked up the butterflies and acted as if they were flying. He enjoyed feeling the foam beads squish together. He pretended to smell the flowers.

Easy Butterfly Sensory Bin

Sensory bins are essential for your kids' development that is why I created this Easy Butterfly Sensory Bin for a fun learning experience for the kids!

Author: Monique B

Equipment

Tribello Clear Plastic Storage Bins with Lids Stackable Storage Bins (15 Quart)
Caydo 200 Pieces Blue Pom Poms, 1 inch Craft Pompom Balls for Art and Craft Projects Creative Decorations
Styrofoam Foam Balls

Materials

Sensory Bin
Foam Beads
Pom Poms
Artificial Flowers
Butterfly Cut Outs

Instructions

Start by spreading a thin layer of foam beads on the bottom of your large plastic container. Cover the bottom, but don't add too many. You'll want to leave room for the rest of your sensory items.
Now add pom poms. We used the same color as the foam beads, as you can see because we wanted to focus on texture. You could add a variety of colors here to create more sensory stimulation.
Then add in a few artificial flowers. These could be silk flowers or paper-based, and could also be different colors if you wanted. You could even scent them lightly by adding a drop or two of essential oils.
Finally, place your butterflies around the bin. We had a lot of different sizes and kinds of butterflies to compare and contrast.
It’s playtime! Have the child explore the supplies and textures included in this bin.

Video

Get your kids hooked on learning with this easy butterfly sensory bin. It’s a different way to get them curious and interested in learning more. Your sensory bin can be as unique as your child’s. Get creative, and introduce your child to the wonderful world of butterflies.

Looking for more? Don’t forget to try these Bug Activities for Kids, too.