Kids will love using the scoops to fill the cups with cocoa puffs, then top the drink off with some marshmallows (aka cotton balls) and mini peppermints with this Christmas sensory bin! The cocoa cereal make it a bit more kid-friendly but be sure to use with adult supervision.
This sensory bin was such a hit with my daughter! She loved playing barista to whip up some holiday themed hot cocoa. You could even set out some paper and pencils for the kids to take drink orders, a cash register play set, and some table and chairs for a coffee shop vibe!Â
Why Kids Love Sensory Bins
Sensory bins are amazing because kids can practice independent play while working on all kinds of developmental skills. They’re practicing colors, sorting, and really working on their fine motor skills. You can fine tune your sensory bin for different ages too, just make sure anything you add to your bin is age appropriate and safe.
One of the best things about sensory bins is that you can make them custom and specialized for holidays. Turning this bin into a hot cocoa station was so much fun. You could also throw in any random supplies you have laying around. Ladles are great, along with kids cups and other age-appropriate kitchen tools.
Supplies
- 16 quart storage bin or 28q storage bin (28q is lower profile for younger kids to be able to reach in and play)
- Wood scoops
- Cocoa Puffs (I used 2 large boxes or you could also use brown Pom Poms if you want to be able to reuse it)
- Cotton ballsÂ
- Mini peppermints Â
- Holiday paper cups (I got mine from Home Goods but linked cute Target option!)
Storing Your Sensory Bin
To store, we recommend putting all your items together in a ziploc baggie. Keeping the accessories that are winter-specific and that won’t expire together helps so that you can pull them out easily. The cocoa puffs will not be great to store long term because of the sugar content, so I’d pitch those at the end of the season! I like to reuse my bins for other sensory play so switching things into baggies makes that a bit more doable.
Ideas for Other Things To Add
There are all kinds of fun things you can try with your Christmas sensory bin, here are a few of our favorites!
- Use pom poms or cotton rounds instead of cereal. These pastel ones are super cute!
- Try beans for a different texture.
- Dye pasta into Christmas colors and use as the base..
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