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Cranberry Sensory Bin for Toddlers

Learn how to easily make this cranberry sensory bin for your kids during this holiday season! It is a fun way to use your cranberries, and your kids will have a blast scooping and creating their own cranberry soups and drinks.

Looking for a festive and educational activity to captivate your toddler? A cranberry sensory bin is the perfect combination of fun, sensory exploration, and seasonal charm.

This simple yet engaging activity encourages hands-on learning while embracing the holiday spirit.

We had cranberries leftover from making some cranberry juice, simmer pots, and cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, so I thought it would be fun to make a sensory bin out of them too.

It was a HUGE success, so I knew I had to take pictures and share this with you so you can make your own!

Here you will learn all the ingredients you need to make this cranberry sensory bin, along with the benefits for your kids, and how to get the most out of it.

child scooping up some cranberries

Benefits of a Cranberry Sensory Bin

Here are a few benefits of doing this cranberry sensory play with your kids:

  1. Sensory Development: The smooth texture and buoyant nature of cranberries provide tactile stimulation, promoting sensory exploration. Plus, they will have TONS of smells with this bin, helping their sense of smell, which usually is not included in bins.
  2. Fine Motor Skills: Scooping, pouring, and transferring cranberries helps toddlers develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor control.
scooping up some cranberries
  1. Seasonal Learning: Introduce toddlers to cranberries as a holiday-themed sensory material, sparking conversations about seasonal fruits and traditions. It fits perfectly for introducing cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving. That is what we did!
  2. Water Play: Adding water enhances the experience, offering splashing fun and an opportunity to observe cranberries float. My kids loved making soup and drinks with the added water.
Cranberry Sensory Bin pin image

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How to Set Up a Cranberry Sensory Bin

Here’s how to create a cranberry sensory bin that toddlers will love:

Supplies

cranberry sensory bin set up

Simply add everything into your bin and enjoy!

I let my kids play with it without water first. Then, the next day I added water so they can make soups and drinks. They loved both equally!

If you are worried about the splashing and mess that comes with water, simply don’t add it.

Tips/Play Suggestions

  • Have the kids make a soup recipe using specific amounts of each ingredient. (For example: 2 scoops of water, 3 cranberries, one orange slice, etc.)
  • Practice color recognition by discussing the different colors of each food item.
  • Encourage kids to explore their senses: How do the various fruits, herbs, and berries look, smell, taste, and feel? How are they similar? How are they different?
  • Kids can work on fine motor skills by using the scoop to transfer cranberries without getting any oranges or rosemary.
  • Add more cups or bowls for toddlers to sort everything by color.
  • Encourage your kids to test other objects alongside cranberries to explore buoyancy. My kids loved doing this like they have seen with Blippi.
child picking up an orange from bin

Ways to Expand Play with a Cranberry Sensory Bin

A cranberry sensory bin offers endless opportunities to expand the fun and learning! Here are creative ways to take this activity further:

Freeze and Explore

Freeze cranberries in ice cubes and add them to the sensory bin.

Learning Opportunity: Toddlers can explore concepts like melting, temperature, and texture while watching the ice transform back into water.

Cooking Connection

Transition from sensory play to a simple cooking activity, like making cranberry sauce or cranberry muffins together.

Learning Opportunity: Teach about measuring, counting, and how cranberries change when cooked.

Color Mixing

Add a few drops of food coloring to the water and let your toddler stir to see how the colors mix.

Learning Opportunity: Introduce basic color theory and let your child experiment with creating new shades.

long view of cranberry bin

Sink or Float Science

Add other objects like small pinecones, corks, or marbles, and encourage your child to predict whether they will sink or float.

Learning Opportunity: Teach about buoyancy and weight in a hands-on way.

Sensory Storytime

Pair the sensory bin with a holiday or cranberry-themed book, such as Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin.

Learning Opportunity: Enhance language skills and storytelling while creating a themed play experience.

Cranberry Art

After playing with the cranberry sensory bin, use cranberries to create art. Dip them in non-toxic paint and roll them across paper to create unique designs.

Learning Opportunity: Encourage creativity and introduce the concept of using unconventional tools for art.

Counting and Sorting

Provide small bowls or cups for toddlers to count and sort cranberries by size, color, or other attributes.

Learning Opportunity: Boost early math skills, such as counting, sorting, and pattern recognition.

Add Natural Elements

Incorporate pine sprigs, cinnamon sticks, or dried lemon slices into the bin for added sensory elements and seasonal scents.

Learning Opportunity: Teach about nature and connect the activity to the winter season.

Final Thoughts

Cranberry sensory bins are so much fun and can provide hours of learning and development for your little ones in a fun way.

Grab some at the store next time you go and create one for your toddlers. You won’t regret it!

Check out these other sensory bin ideas:

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