Edible St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bin: A Hands-On Sensory Exploration Through Play

a st. patrick's day sensory bin that has green peas, froot loops, marshmallows, and chocolate coins.

The edible St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bin allows for a hands-on sensory exploration for children. Different food colors, textures, and shapes make this sensory bin a creative and exciting way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, while also allowing children to learn through sensory exploration. Black cauldrons, used for sorting bins, add a festive touch to the sensory bin. This St. Patrick’s Day activity focuses on the idea of sorting each food group by noticing different shapes, colors, and textures.

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Making this Sensory Bin Accessible for All Ages

This St. Patrick’s Day sensory bin is 100% edible. Parents can adjust each food item to fit any dietary restrictions in case of children eating an item. For younger children, labels or images of each food item can be added to each cauldron to give children a visual cue of what item should be sorted into each cauldron.

Edible St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bin Materials

cauldrons, froot loops, frozen peas, chocolate coins, and mini marshmallows

Frozen peas
Mini Marshmallows
Froot Loops
Chocolate Coins
Plastic Tray
Cauldron
Tweezers/Tongs (optional)

Sensory Bin Setup

1. Pour the peas into the tray ensuring the entire bottom of the tray is covered. You may choose to put the tray in a place that allows for easy cleanup in case of a spill. Alternatively, you can use a deep tray to minimize accidents.

2. Sprinkle the Froot Loops on top of the frozen peas. If wanted, you can choose to mix the peas and Froot Loops together instead of layering them.

frozen peas, mini marshmallows, froot loops on a tray

3. Add mini marshmallows on top of the Froot Loops and frozen peas.

an unwrapped chocolate coin next to the sensory bin

4. Unwrap the chocolate coins, if necessary.

5. Push chocolate coins randomly into the mini marshmallow, frozen pea, and Froot Loop mixture ensuring the coins are standing up.

a st. patrick's day sensory bin that has green peas, froot loops, marshmallows, and chocolate coins next to four cauldrons

6. Set up four cauldrons next to tray for sorting.

How Kids Explore with the Sensory Bin

Once the sensory bin is set up, children will begin exploring through touching and sorting the food items. Kids can use fingers, tweezers, or tongs to sort each food item into separate cauldrons. Some children may sort by doing each food group at a time or by randomly picking up items and sorting.

Benefits of St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bin

A sensory bin offers many developmental benefits that include:

– Physical development: Using tweezer, fingers, or tongs builds fine motor skills which are necessary for everyday function

– Cognitive Development: Sorting different food items requires cognitive thinking, such as noting different shapes, textures, and tastes.

– Independent Play: Independent play helps children manage frustrations and builds patience and confidence without constant supervision.

Classroom and Home Uses for this St. Patrick’s Day Activity:

The St. Patrick’s Day Edible Sensory Bin can be used in both classrooms and at home. This sensory bin can be used independently but also can be modified for group uses. Teachers can add this sensory bin to existing curriculum and parents can create this sensory bin at home.

Setup for this sensory bin is easy along with cleanup and can be used all throughout the month of March.

Extend the Learning With Books

To continue to excitement of this St. Patrick’s Day sensory bin, grab one of these popular books to pair with your sensory fun. If you’re looking to extend the sensory play, opt for touch-and-feel books like St. Patrick’s Day Touch-and-Feel by Roger Priddy, Disney Baby: My First St. Patrick’s Day by Ella Patrick, or Happy Leprechaun Finger Puppet Plush Board Book by Brick Puffington. If you’re looking to prevent sensory overload, try some St. Patrick’s Day books that don’t include any sensory aspects, like You’re My Little Lucky Charm by Nicola Edwards, The Night Before St. Patrick’s Day by Natasha Wing, or How To Catch A Leprechaun by Adam Wallce. Or, you can try some of these other popular St. Patrick’s Day books:

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Clover!

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