Valentine’s sensory bins are some of my favorite kinds of sensory bins! I have so many ideas and not enough time to create them all. Sometimes I miss other holidays, but Valentines day bins are ones I make sure to create for my girls year after year and I think you’re going to love these ideas too!

I love a good sensory bin and creating one around a holiday is always a fun idea for kids. Potion play might be one of my all time favorite types of sensory play because my girls ALWAYS love it without fail despite their varying ages. We are also big time fans of whipping out our chocolate play dough during the month of February so that the girls can use heart shaped cookie cutters and create the most perfect little pretend Valentine chocolates, plus the play dough smells so good! If messy sensory play isn’t your thing, no worries! We have plenty of dry sensory bin ideas to get those creative juices going and meet those sensory needs. You can find all of these ideas below! Let’s get started.

Valentine’s Sensory Bins: Potion Play

I love potion play when it’s simply water and dish soap. It’s super easy to clean up and leaves everything sparkly after, however if you’re worried about the mess, take the potion play in the bath tub or the shower for even easier clean up! Here’s a list of ideas to create a Valentine potion play sensory bin that is sure to be a hit!

• Deep sensory bin/tray Check out a list of some of my favorite sensory tables here
• Drop cloth You can use an old bed sheet if you’d like or you can check out my new favorite washable drop cloth here.
• Dish soap
• Water
• Food Coloring or liquid water color to dye your potion colors
• Plastic potion bottles Larger bottles for smaller hands Small potion bottles I also found some fun potion bottles in the Target dollar section, but they were glass if you have older children who want those.
• Small plastic toys to add into your potions; we love these acrylic hearts but make sure to check your local dollar store and craft stores for more affordable acrylic hearts.
• Funnels
• Toy Hand Mixer
• Pouring cups/scoops

Valentine’s Sensory Bins: Chocolate Play Dough

I created this recipe a few years back and it has been a favorite of ours ever since! The most important step in this recipe is making sure your play dough reaches the desired consistency before removing from heat. If you remove too early your play dough will be sticky. The cocoa in this recipe makes this recipe already have a sticky tendency, but once you work it, it will be perfect for your heart shaped cookie cutters (we love this cookie cutter set that is affordable and comes with all the major holidays plus numbers and letters).

Chocolate Play Dough Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup Flour
• 1/2 Cup Cocoa
• 1 Cup Water
• 1/2 Cup Salt
• 2 tsp Cream of Tarter
• 1 Tablespoon Oil

To begin, Add all ingredients in a medium sized pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, or until ball is formed. Your dough will need to be the consistency you want it in the end before you remove from heat. Once ball is formed, remove from heat. Knead for about 3 minutes. Keep at room temperature in an airtight container or wrap. Play with dough on a silicone mat. Add cookie scoops, silicone heart molds, cookie cutters, spatulas, rolling pins etc.

Dry Sensory Bins

If you’re child doesn’t like getting messy you are going to love a dry sensory bin because they still provide that sensory input your child might be needing without getting too messy. Dyed pasta is always a fun one and you can make the colors especially vibrant with bio color paint. Tip: All you need is a few squeezes of paint.

Dyed Pasta

Personally, I like to simplify dying pasta by using a squeeze of bio color paint with my pasta of choice in a ziplock bag and shake. I then lay out a layer of tin foil on a cookie sheet and spread out the pasta for it to dry. Once it’s dry you’re ready to play! If you want to color with food coloring try this:

• Ziplock Bag
• 2 Cups Dry Pasta
• Food Coloring (I think gel food coloring is more vibrant)
• Two Squirts of Hand Sanitizer (can also use 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol OR 1/4 cup vinegar)
• Mix in ziplock bag. Spread out on tray or cookie sheet with foil (or parchment paper) to dry.

Taste Safe Bins for Infant/Toddlers

Next on or list are taste safe options for your infants and toddlers. This recipe is another one I created a few years ago that has been a favorite of ours and my followers. I first created this recipe for a taste safe recipe for my baby who is now 6 years old! Now I have another baby and will be creating a lot more taste safe sensory bins for her to explore with.

Strawberry Sand Recipe

• 2 cups Strawberry Nesquick powder (found at most grocery stores and online)
• 2 cups flour (baked at 350 degrees for 10 minutes to make it taste safe)
• 3/4 cup oil
• Sprinkles (optional)

Whisk all of the ingredients together. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Add in whisks, spatulas, cookie cutters, bowls, cupcake liners etc.

Water Play

Grab a drop cloth and a bucket, add in some water and throw in some large pink and red balls, scoops and bowls for a fun and simple infant/toddler Valentines sensory bin.

I hope you like our sensory bin ideas! What other Valentine’s sensory bin ideas would you add to the list? I created some free Valentine’s recipe cards you can download below, I’ve even included a sugar cookie and frosting recipe (yum)! Interested in learning more? Check out how sensory can relate to behavior here.