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While past generations may have written off toddlers’ toy time as “just playing,” today we know how essential play time is for kids’ development. And recently, sensory activities and sensory bins in particular have gotten a lot of attention for being so good for toddlers’ brains.
Sensory play focuses on activities that engage your child’s senses: sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. Sensory activities help kids to develop motor and language skills, foster cognitive growth and social development, and encourage experimentation, reports the Mayo Clinic.
Sensory play can be pretty intuitive. A toddler making mud pies or banging on pot lids could be a sensory activity. But if you want something that’s a little easier on you as a parent, sensory bins are where it’s at. These playful kits are filled with rice or beads and include toys, shapes, and tools to engage and excite your toddler. And they’re designed to contain the mess to a single bin — phew.
We gathered together 24 sensory bins for toddlers that will keep your little ones entertained while building their brainpower and buying you a few minutes of quiet. Talk about a win.
— Additional reporting by Andi Breitowich
