A Year of Monthly Themed Sensory Bins
Sensory bins are an easy, low-cost way to support fine motor development, sensory processing, functional play skills, early language, and self-regulation at home. For toddlers, safety is the priority—especially around choking risks.
This month-by-month guide shares themed sensory bins using only large, soft, or non-ingestible materials, making them appropriate for young toddlers with caregiver supervision. Each month also includes EI-aligned skill targets!
January – Winter / Ice & Snow
Base Fillers: cotton balls, white shredded paper, foam packing peanuts
Add-Ins: stacking cups, scoops, crumpled foil “ice,” large plastic animals, sponges, blue paper strips, small containers
EI Skill Targets:
Fine Motor: scooping, dumping, grasp-and-release, bilateral hand use
Sensory: tactile exploration (soft vs. crinkly), visual contrast
Play: pretend “snow” play, animal hide-and-seek
Language: model “cold,” “snow,” “in,” “out,” “more”
Regulation: slow scooping for calming input
February – Hearts & Colors
Base Fillers: shredded paper (red/pink), felt scraps, large pom-poms
Add-Ins: heart cookie cutters, cups, spoons, silicone muffin cups, fabric hearts, scarves
EI Skill Targets:
Fine Motor: grasping pom-poms, placing into cups, simple sorting
Sensory: soft textures, color visual input
Play: filling “heart cups,” simple matching
Language: color labels, “big/little,” “full/empty”
Regulation: deep pressure through squeezing felt and pom-poms
March – Rain & Weather
Base Fillers: shredded blue paper, foam peanuts, sponges
Add-Ins: cups, toy umbrellas, scoops, bowls, toy vehicles
EI Skill Targets:
Fine Motor: squeezing sponges, pouring motions
Sensory: proprioceptive input through squeezing
Play: pretend rainstorms, vehicle wash
Language: “rain,” “wet,” “pour,” “go”
Regulation: rhythmic squeeze-and-release for calming
April – Garden & Spring
Base Fillers: shredded green paper, felt sheets, tissue paper
Add-Ins: plastic flowers, large toy insects, cups, scoops, egg cartons, craft sticks
EI Skill Targets:
Fine Motor: placing items into cartons, scooping
Sensory: tactile variation (smooth vs. crinkly)
Play: pretend planting, bug play
Language: “flower,” “bug,” “in,” “out,” “grow”
Regulation: repetitive planting motions for grounding
May – Bugs & Nature
Base Fillers: shredded paper, felt scraps, foam pieces
Add-Ins: large toy bugs, toddler tweezers, leaves, sponges, bowls, blocks
EI Skill Targets:
Fine Motor: tweezer grasp, transfer tasks
Sensory: light touch exploration, proprioceptive stacking
Play: bug hide-and-find, simple pretend scenes
Language: bug names, “under,” “on,” “more”
Regulation: slow search tasks for focus and calming
June – Ocean & Beach
Base Fillers: kinetic sand (supervised), shredded blue paper, foam peanuts
Add-Ins: plastic sea animals, cups, scoops, bath toys, scarves, sponges, toy boats
EI Skill Targets:
Fine Motor: digging, filling cups, bilateral play
Sensory: tactile input (sand), visual flow (scarves)
Play: ocean pretend play, boat play
Language: “fish,” “boat,” “splash,” “in/out”
Regulation: heavy scooping for organizing input
July – Summer Colors
Base Fillers: shredded paper (multi-color), large pom-poms, felt scraps
Add-Ins: cups, scoops, star cutters, vehicles, scarves, stacking rings
EI Skill Targets:
Fine Motor: stacking rings, placing pom-poms
Sensory: visual color input, soft tactile play
Play: color sorting, pretend driving
Language: color names, “up/down,” “go”
Regulation: repetitive stacking for calming
August – Construction & Tools
Base Fillers: kinetic sand, shredded brown paper, foam blocks
Add-Ins: construction vehicles, cups, scoops, cardboard tubes, bowls, toy tools
EI Skill Targets:
Fine Motor: tool grasp, pushing, scooping
Sensory: heavy work input, tactile sand play
Play: building roads, pretend fixing
Language: “build,” “dig,” “push,” “stop”
Regulation: heavy work for sensory regulation
September – Apples & Harvest
Base Fillers: shredded paper, felt scraps, tissue paper
Add-Ins: plastic apples, cups, scoops, egg cartons, fabric leaves, baskets
EI Skill Targets:
Fine Motor: placing apples into cartons
Sensory: soft vs. crinkly textures
Play: pretend picking apples
Language: “apple,” “in/out,” “more”
Regulation: slow repetitive sorting
October – Pumpkins & Fall Colors
Base Fillers: shredded orange paper, felt sheets, foam pieces
Add-Ins: soft pumpkins, cups, scoops, large cutters, sponges, toy animals
EI Skill Targets:
Fine Motor: grasping pumpkins, scooping
Sensory: tactile variety, visual contrast
Play: pretend pumpkin patch
Language: “pumpkin,” “big/little,” “in/out”
Regulation: deep pressure through sponge squeezing
November – Animals & Cozy Play
Base Fillers: shredded paper, felt scraps, fabric squares
Add-Ins: large toy animals, cups, scoops, boxes, scarves, blocks, barns
EI Skill Targets:
Fine Motor: placing animals into barns
Sensory: soft fabric tactile input
Play: animal pretend play
Language: animal sounds, “sleep,” “eat”
Regulation: cozy enclosure play for calming
December – Lights & Winter Cozy
Base Fillers: cotton balls, shredded paper, felt scraps
Add-Ins: enclosed tea lights (supervised), pom-poms, cups, scoops, scarves, shiny paper
EI Skill Targets:
Fine Motor: turning lights on/off, transferring pom-poms
Sensory: visual glow, soft tactile input
Play: pretend decorating
Language: “on/off,” “light,” “more”
Regulation: dim lighting for calming input
Core Choke-Free Supply List (Use All Year)
Shredded paper, felt scraps, tissue paper, cotton balls, large pom-poms, foam packing peanuts, kinetic sand (supervised), plastic cups and bowls, scoops and large spoons, silicone muffin cups, sponges, craft sticks, toddler-safe tweezers, toy animals and vehicles, soft blocks, scarves and fabric scraps, cardboard tubes, egg cartons.
Safety Note for Families
Always supervise sensory play. Use only large, soft, non-ingestible materials. Avoid dried foods, beads, marbles, bottle caps, or small hard objects. Store bins out of reach when not in use.
