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Valentine’s Day Sensory Bin for Toddlers

Learn how to set up this easy valentine’s day sensory bin for toddlers! It is such a simple and fun Valentine’s Day activity your kids will love to play with all month long!

Valentine’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to engage your toddler in fun, hands-on activities that spark creativity and exploration.

A Valentine’s Day Sensory Bin is the perfect way to combine festive fun with developmental benefits.

This easy-to-assemble sensory bin is not only visually appealing but also helps your child develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and sensory processing abilities.

My daughter LOVES Valentine’s Day, so I made sure to do lots of fun valentine’s day activities. This sensory bin idea for Valentine’s Day was such a great hit, I had to share with you! The best part, no food required!

Here is how to set it up and how to make it fun and educational for your little ones.

horizontal view of this valentine's day sensory bin for toddlers

Why Sensory Bins Are Beneficial

Sensory bins are such a great tool for early learning and development. They encourage imaginative play, build focus, and provide a calming activity for little ones.

By introducing themed sensory bins, like this Valentine’s Day version, you add an extra layer of excitement and seasonality to the activity.

close up of pink, white, and red valentine's day sensory play

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What’s Inside this Valentine’s Day Sensory Bin?

To set up this Valentine’s Day sensory activity for your toddler, you will need the following:

  • Fake Rose Petals: Soft and colorful, these petals create a romantic part of the base for the bin.
  • Pom Poms: Add pops of color and texture, and they’re great for grasping and sorting. I used red, white, and pink.
  • Patterned Paper Straws: Perfect for little hands to stack or scoop.
  • Silicone Muffin Tins: Encourage sorting and organizing as your toddler places items into the compartments.
  • Pink Paper Shreds: A soft and crinkly filler that’s fun to touch and dig through. This is the base of the sensory bin!
materials needed for valentine's sensory bin

How to Set Up Your Valentine’s Day Sensory Bin

First, cut up the paper straws to smaller pieces for your child’s hand to fit in.

Then, add in the base layer of paper shreds, followed by the rose petals.

Afterward, insert the pom poms, straws, and other sensory play tools.

long view of sensory bin with rose petals

Let your toddler freely explore the bin. Encourage them to sort items by color, size, or texture into the silicone muffin tins.

Provide small scoops or tongs for your child to transfer pom poms and paper shreds between containers.

Create scenarios like decorating a Valentine’s Day party or “picking flowers” with the rose petals.

toddler playing in sensory bin with tweezers

Educational and Fun Play Ideas

Make this sensory bin an educational experience by incorporating these fun play activities:

  • Counting and Math Skills: Ask your toddler to count the pom poms or sort them by color. Use the heart-patterned straws to practice simple addition or subtraction.
  • Color Recognition: Encourage your child to identify the colors of the items in the bin, such as the rose petals, pom poms, and paper shreds.
  • Fine Motor Development: Provide tweezers for your toddler to pick up and sort the smaller items, strengthening their fine motor skills.
  • Letter and Shape Exploration: Use the heart shapes and muffin tins to discuss shapes or practice forming letters with the straws.
  • Sensory Storytelling: Create a Valentine’s Day-themed story using the bin’s items as props. Let your child’s imagination take the lead!
Valentine's Day Sensory Bin pin image

Final Thoughts

This Valentine’s Day Sensory Bin is a simple and fun Valentine’s Day sensory play idea to celebrate the holiday with your toddler.

So gather your materials, and have fun! Your toddler will love it.

Check out these other fun Valentine’s Day activities for toddlers:

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