Christmas Sensory Bin

If we’re being honest, this is where it all started. I mean, yes, technically my love for sensory bins and activities started the first week I was home alone with my newborn and 2.5 year old (you can read that here if you don’t know the story). But – my love for seasonal sensory bins – started last Christmas.

If you know me, you know I put a seasonal flare on just about everything. So last Christmas I decided that meant Sensory Bins too, which in turn led to me creating “Christmas Rice” for my toddler! Christmas Rice is just traditional “Rainbow Rice” (rice, food coloring, and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar), but with a Christmas flare!

Like I said, we started this last Christmas, and then it led to our “Ocean Rice” and “Fall Rice.”

And before we get into our “Christmas Rice” I get that it may sound a little “extra” to make sensory bins for each season. But here’s the thing – about the time a season is ending, so is Hudson’s interest in our current rice bin. But then he is SO excited for our new one. And his renewed excitement results in renewed interest in playing with the bin! Which is a win all around for me! So, not only do I love to make these seasonal bins, but he truly loves to play with them!

And it’s really easy – all you need is rice, white vinegar, food color, and a trip to the Dollar Tree (or Amazon if you prefer!)

After you mix the rice, vinegar, and food color in a gallon size bag (or in this case, a mixing bowl and spatula because I didn’t realize I was out of bags!), then lay it out on baking sheets to dry.

And then comes the fun part – add in your Dollar Tree treasures!

So these little figures and trees were part of a little village collection from Dollar Tree – and I just thought they were too cute! Hudson especially likes the bridge :). The two plastic containers – a gingerbread and a Santa – are HUGE hit. Technically they are plastic ornaments, but I just took the wire/metal top off so that they are just open containers. So fun to scoop and pour, but in a festive way!

I don’t typically add other sensory items to the rice, but pom poms are always a hit, and the Christmas ones are too fun! Hudson really enjoys these being in the rice! And the red ladle is another festive Dollar Tree find – we have the gray one just like it for our other bins! Not pictured are a couple other plastic scoops we have that always make their rounds through the bins!

Last year I started small and just had a tiny batch of Christmas Rice, so this year I added to it to make it fill our bin a bit more! And then it was too full and I had to find a slightly bigger one 🙂

But anyway, there you have it – it’s as easy as that! We have a little kids IKEA table in our kitchen, and I just keep our seasonal rice bin on that table (with the lid on it of course!) so that it’s easy to access, and always within reach. Hudson knows exactly where it is, knows the rules about keeping the rice in the bin, and will come and go as he pleases to play with his rice!

If you make “Christmas Rice” this year, I’d love to hear about it!

Oh – and just in case you can’t make it to the Dollar Tree, here’s a few sensory bin accessories from Amazon (these are affiliate links in which I may make a small commission from the purchase, and I thank you for your support!).

Christmas Figures

Christmas Sensory Ornament Kit

Sensory Bin Tools

Merry Christmas friend, and stay tuned for our next rice coming in January!

Xoxo, Alli