Easy Penguin Sensory Bin

Are you learning about the Antarctic? These favorite flightless birds are always fun to study, who doesn’t love penguins? Visit the dollar store to create your own penguin sensory bin.

Try to create the penguins’ natural environment with snow and ice using cotton balls and gravel. These materials can be found at a low cost from your local dollar store which makes it a huge win for mom’s wallet.

Depending on how often the kids play with it, you can recycle the materials and use them for different sensory bins.

Sensory bins are such a great way to use their fine motor skills as well as their thinking and logic skills, too. And since they’re super simple to make, you can easily make this up in a very short amount of time.

The kids will play with this for hours and be using their time to be creative as well. You’ll love being able to watch their curiosity and want to learn grow.

Easy Penguin Sensory Bin

Give your kids an invitation to pretend play by creating your own sensory bins. Even my 4th grader will join in on his sister’s sensory bins because they love the feel of the materials. It can provide a wonderful amount of imaginative play for your kids.

Will it make a mess? Certainly but lay everything out on a tablecloth or old bedsheet and it makes clean up a breeze.

I have a rule in our house that even if it makes a mess, as long as they’re engaged and learning, it’s fine. Messes can easily be cleaned up without issues.

Recommended Penguin Books for Kids

Bring penguins alive in your favorite story about how they’re living in the Antarctic or in the city or find amazing penguin facts that your kids will love.

Combining the look of reading with fun topics is a super simple way to stretch the learning lesson. If you’re having the kids do a winter sensory bin theme, pairing that up with some fun penguin books is a great idea.

 If You Were a Penguin How Do Penguins Play? Penguins Mr. Popper’s Penguins

 

Penguin Sensory Bin Supplies

All you’ll need to get started is listed below. Just grab the simple list of supplies and make your very own penguin sensory bin.

• Plastic penguins
• Mini white rocks/gravel
• Mini blue rocks/gravel
• Cotton balls
• Plastic bin

We found all the ingredients we used here for just $1 each at our local dollar store. This is an extremely affordable activity to do.

When choosing a bin, find one with a snap on the lid so you can easily close the sensory bin up when not in use.

Sensory Bin Directions

Create snow and icebergs by using cotton balls

Simply bunch them up and then stack them up to create some height.

Create your snow, ice, and water

Begin by filling the plastic bin ½ full with the white gravel. These will create the base in your sensory bin. Create “waterways” by adding the blue gravel. Just sprinkle the blue in as you wish to create streams and ocean water.

Add your plastic penguins or other arctic animals

You can place these where you wish! Penguins like to eat fish and krill if you had seals or killer whales those are the penguins natural predators.

Your penguin sensory bin can now be used and enjoyed. Simply cover when not in use and it will store nicely.

Enjoy your easy penguin sensory bin whenever you want to visit the Antarctic and explore the world of penguins.

More Penguin Activities

Penguin Lacing Cards

Penguin Books for Kids

Penguin Rock Painting for Kids