10 Benefits Of Using Sensory Bins by Sara Sparrow

Children are a valuable asset to a community’s future. One way to help children develop well in their growth is to let them tinker with sensory bins. Sensory bins provide children with hands-on ways to explore and learn things. As a result, children can develop skills that they can use throughout their lives.

With that in mind, here are 10 benefits that can come from using sensory bins:

1. Fine Motor Skills

First and foremost, fine motor skills are essential to have. Children must be able to do the following, in order to do the basics in life: 

• Grasp

• Pour

• Scoop

• Handwrite, etc.

Sensory bins allow children to build up their hand strength, along with their coordination and bilateral coordination. 

2. Calming Down

Children can get upset or sad whenever they experience something that they don’t like. They might cry, yell, or be aggressive at times. 

But with sensory bins, children can do something independently, as they work to calm down. They can do things like pick things up, or create something from their own imaginations, so that they can take their mind off of anything that’s making them sad or mad. 

3. Socialization And Play

Children will have many opportunities to socialize and play with other children, especially in school. It all starts with the family (and siblings, if applicable). 

Families can use sensory bins to play games, play pretend, and do other activities with their children. Children can learn how to take turns and share things.

4. Sensory Exploration

People are born with the following senses:

• Sight

• Sound

• Smell

• Touch, AND

• Taste

The good news is, sensory bins can help stimulate these senses at the same time. From feeling things like water and dry rice, to smelling and tasting fruits and bread, to hearing how a block sounds when setting it down on a surface, children can explore their world with their senses. 

5. Language Development

“Talking will be something that most children will have the luxury to do,” says Carl Murray, a quote from a psychology writer at Huffingtonpost. “Whether it’s verbal or nonverbal, children will communicate what they want, what they don’t like, how they’re feeling, and so on.”

Fortunately, sensory bins can come with the following activities and toys for language development:

• Flashcards (i.e. sight words)

• Vocabulary words

• Blocks with letters, numbers, etc.

6. Homemaking

Homemaking will be something that everyone must do, including children. As they grow up, children will have to learn how to do things in the home. 

Sensory bins can help children simulate various home activities in a safe way. Such activities can include: 

• Pouring a glass of milk, water, and drinks

• Wiping a surface clean with a towel or napkin

• Sweeping the floor with either a broom or a brush and dust pan, etc.

7. Math Skills

Math is one of the most important subjects that children will learn in school. As such, math will involve the following activities:

• Adding and subtracting

• Multiplying and dividing

• Counting

• Sorting

• Measuring, etc.

Whether it’s sorting blocks, or adding and subtracting beans, math will be at the forefront of your child’s learning when they use sensory bins. 

8. Concentration

When children are playing with something, or working on something, that’s concentration at work. Sensory bins allow for a quiet and safe place for children to do the following:

• Play

• Handle

• Experiment

• Simulate, etc.

When children are engaged with the things in sensory bins, they’re utilizing concentration to their fullest. 

9. Critical Thinking

During play, children will have to make decisions, think about situations, and solve problems. Sensory bins allow children to wonder about things, as they play, experiment, and do activities. They might start asking questions like:

• “What would happen if I did this…?”

• Why didn’t something do something?”

• “Why did something work like that?” and so on.

10. Imagination

Finally, imagination is the key to play. With sensory bins, children can play with, invent, or reinvent anything that they wish. For example, they might imagine their favorite toys as characters in a story they read. Or, they might reenact a scene from their favorite movie with some toys or items. 

Sensory bins are a definite must-have, when it comes to your child’s development. These 10 benefits are just scratching at the surface. With sensory bins, your child can grow to be a social, smart, and creative person. The sky is the limit! 

Sara Sparrow is a writer and editor at Rated Writing and Best custom writing services in Australia. She is also a contributing writer for Subjecto. As a content writer, she writes articles about childcare, education, autism, and eLearning.