Prehistoric Sea Creatures Sensory Bin

If you have a child who loves dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures, you can create a Prehistoric Sea Creature Sensory Bin that is a big hit with your animal lover. This activity offers endless opportunities for fun and discovery.

For more fun with animals, try these Animal Activities for Kids.

This hands-on activity brings the fascinating world of these prehistoric sea creatures to life, offering a fun and engaging way for your kids to explore and learn. In addition, this sensory bin provides a captivating way to learn and have fun, making it an exciting adventure for kids.

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Prehistoric Sea Creatures Facts for Kids

• Gigantic Sizes: Many prehistoric sea creatures were huge! Some were even bigger than today’s largest whales, showing how amazing ancient oceans were.
• Amazing Shapes: Prehistoric sea life came in all sorts of shapes and sizes. From creatures with long necks to those with huge, spiraled shells, their variety was fascinating!
• Top Predators: Some of these sea creatures were top predators, using their unique features to hunt and survive in the oceans millions of years ago!
• Living Conditions: The oceans of the past were very different from today, with some being warmer or more acidic. These sea creatures evolved to thrive in these changing conditions.

Recommended Prehistoric Animals Books

If you want to learn more about these prehistoric animals, I highly recommend these must-read books! Each one is packed with captivating stories and fascinating facts, making it easy for kids to learn about these ancient creatures. I’m sure your kids will have a lot of fun discovering the wonders of the prehistoric era!

Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric AdventureAfter the Dinosaurs: Mammoths and Fossil Mammals (I Can Read Level 2)National Geographic Readers Prehistoric Sea Monsters (Level 2)Dinosaur and Other Prehistoric Creatures Atlas (DK Where on Earth? Atlases)Prehistoric Mammals (Readers)Megalodon’s Bite – A Prehistoric Adventure Book: Monster Shark Book For Children. A Thrilling Action Adventure Story For 8 Year Olds And Above. The … Based on Science and Natural History)

 

Prehistoric Sea Animals Sensory Bin Supplies

• Cooked tapioca pearls, rice, or beans. (I used water beads, but they are no longer recommended)
• Prehistoric Sea Creatures Toy Figures
• Plastic Container

Why are water beads no longer recommended for kids?

Water beads are no longer considered safe for young children. When swallowed, they can swell inside the body and block the intestines, leading to serious medical issues. There’s also a choking risk for preschoolers and kindergartners. Because of these hazards, many are switching to safer sensory materials.

Use safer choices like cooked tapioca pearls, beans, or rice for your sensory bin. These give the same fun feel without the health risks.

Recommended Prehistoric Animals Toys

Here are some of my recommended prehistoric animal toys that your kids will surely enjoy! These toys turn playtime into an adventure, becoming an excellent addition to your homeschool activities. They can also help us learn about the fascinating creatures that roamed the Earth millions of years ago.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Mega Fossil Dig Kit – Excavate 15 Genuine Prehistoric Fossils, Kids Fossil Kit, Educational Toys, Great Science Kit Gift for Girls and Boys (Amazon Exclusive)Prehistoric Playset, 100 Pieces – Jurassic Dinosaurs and Cave Men – Mini Dino Figure Bundle Kit with Play Mat, Storage Container, Volcano, Bridges, Plants & Educational Booklet – Toys & Games for KidsLC JoyCre Mini Prehistoric Animals Toys 2Inch Wildlife Mammals Mini Set 18PCS Woolly Mammoth Animal Bulk Figurines Saber-Toothed Tiger Model Dire Wolf Figure Kids Birthday GiftThe Young Scientist Prehistoric Animal Card Games, 4 Prehistoric Card Games for Age 5 and Up: Matching, Bingo, Memory, Trivia, Hands-On Educational STEM Fun, Kids Card GamesRCOMG 11PCS Prehistoric Sea Creatures Toys, Ancient Cambrian Ocean Animal Figurines Plastic Educational Marine Animal Figures for Cake Topper, School Project, Learning ToyTEMI Prehistoric Animal Toys for Kids 3-5, Safari Animals Figurines and Snowy Volcano Toy Set with Large Play Mat w/Realistic Mammoth, Lion and Gorilla. Educational Gift for Toddlers 3 4 5 6 7 8 Years

 

How do we make this prehistoric-time sensory activity?

We used water beads in our sensory bin. I had a bag of mixed-colored water beads. At first, I tried to have the kids pick out only the blue, green, and white beads, but they were so small that the task was too tricky. The beads were relatively small, and I had trouble distinguishing colors, so we gave up.

My daughter appreciated the pinks and purples; we used all the colors. They have a wonderful texture to play with, so my son added his prehistoric sea creatures to the bin and had a great time.

My daughter enjoyed piling the water beads on top of the toys. She tried to fit as many water beads into their mouths as possible because they were hungry.

The beads fit into some of their mouths so that they could be a food source, too.

Take a look at the sea creatures from Safari Ltd. You can find rare species that were found during those prehistoric times. My son has moved beyond T-rexes and stegosauruses and is happy to see animals that existed during those times. These can be very hard to find.

My son received the tylosaurus, mosasaurs, dunkleosteus, coelacanth, and postosuchus. These animals are from the Wild Safari Prehistoric World. However, the postosuchus is not a sea creature. My son likes to visit the lake or the ocean for a drink of water, and then he gets ambushed by the sea creatures.

The kids enjoyed the texture of the water beads—they’re fun and squishy. My son discovered that he likes popping them and that it doesn’t take too much pressure.

It was a gorgeous day outside, so we did this activity. Our puppy would have wanted a taste if we were indoors, so we left it out of reach.

More Animal Activities

Want to have more fun with animals? Here are some more activities that inspire kids to learn and play, with various options that make exploring the animal world even more exciting. Try these out, and your kids will indeed have a blast!

• Ocean Animals Printable
• Prehistoric Animals Printables and Sensory Tray
• Parts of Ocean Animals Worksheets
• Counting Sea Animals Worksheets by Homeschool Preschool
• Adorable Winter Animal Crafts For Kids by Simple Everyday Mom

This sensory bin activity is a fantastic way for kids to get into imaginative play while exploring the mysteries of the prehistoric oceans. As they sift through the bin, they’ll have a blast playing with the creatures and learning about the fascinating world.

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Disclosure: I am part of the Safari Ltd Brand Ambassador Program, and I received Compensation as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.