If you’re looking for an easy fall activity that actually keeps your toddler busy for more than a minute, sensory bins are such a win over here 😊
I put together two simple fall-themed bins for my toddler, and she was completely into it, scooping, pouring, and playing for a good 15–20 minutes (and honestly would have kept going).
Here’s what I made:
🍂 Pumpkin Patch Bin
I used green peas and white beans as the base, added a few candy pumpkins, and included a little pumpkin candle holder for scooping and pouring.
I also tried adding brown sugar for a “dirt” effect… which sounded cute in theory, but turned into a sticky situation real quick 🙃 Next time, I’d definitely swap that for crushed graham crackers or something similar for the same look without the sticky fingers.
👻 Spooky Grounds Bin
This one used black beans, fake spiders, and a couple of dollar store figurines. Then I tossed in big white marshmallows and drew little ghost faces on them with a Sharpie, which was such a fun touch.
Both bins were super simple to put together and used things I either already had or grabbed quickly.
Honestly, her favorite was the Pumpkin Patch bin 😊
Just a quick note, my toddler is 22 months, so I stayed right with her while she played. Since a lot of these items are small, sensory bins like this should always be done under close supervision due to choking hazards.
It really is such an easy activity to pull together, and it’s one of those things that doesn’t take much but keeps them so engaged and is so seasonally fun 🧡🎃
