Fall is such a great season for engaging all the senses. All the trees changing colors, apples and pumpkins galore, the crunch of fallen leaves, the crisp autumn air… there’s so much to enjoy this time of year. The only thing that makes this season even better is getting to experience it with my little ones!
Seeing their excitement at playing in leaf piles or digging through pumpkin guts is so much fun. So naturally that gave me the idea to take some of the best parts of fall and put them all into a fall nature sensory bin for them to enjoy.
There are so many variations you can do for a fall themed sensory bin, but I decided to stick to some of the basic fall staples. Just the basics alone have a huge selection of different feels, smells, and in Bear’s case– tastes haha. The added bonus is most of this is stuff you can just find outside, or would likely be getting for the season anyway!
Here’s what we used for our Fall Nature Sensory Bin:
- 1 large bin
- Leaves
- Dried corn kernels
- Pumpkin guts
- Tree bark
- Sunflowers
- Small pumpkins/squash
- Cranberries
- Pine cones
- Bowls, cups, and spoons
One of the kiddos’ favorite additions was a bowl of pumpkin guts. I’m sure there’s a more technical term than “pumpkin guts”, but I spend all day with toddlers, so this is how I talk now haha.
I did try to keep it separate, but the pumpkin inevitably got mixed in with everything else. Whatevs, messy is fun– right?
I would suggest doing this on either a tile floor or a plastic table cloth to avoid the mess spreading too far. We got lucky and had a warmer day, so we could do it outside!
(A wipeable table cloth is essential for creative kids and parents! Check out what else you need for crafty fun here)
Aside from just making a mess in general (which is one of their favorite things), the kids loved feeling the different textures and digging around in the bin. And all the fall colors made for such a beautiful combination! This can be an especially fun way to explore autumn when the weather is too cold or rainy to go outside.
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Thanksgiving is right around the corner! For more sensory fun, check out Not Quite Super Mom’s Thanksgiving themed sensory bin.
So pretty and cozy! I love the colors. The corn kernels make me think of the big bins of corn for kids to play with at fall farm events.
Ahhh yes those are so fun!
What a great idea! I love how even the colours are Fall-like. I can only imagine the mess with the pumpkin guts!
This looks like a great way to add a little “fall” into your sensory bin! I’m sure the kiddos loved it.
What a fun idea! I like that it’s a sensory bin that focuses on the season, great way to combine different things and teach at the same time.
Yes! My kiddos love these sensory bins so much, so I’m always trying to think of new themes to focus on 🙂
This is so cute and easy to put together which is a plus for this momma. I need to make more sensory bins for my kiddos.
This is really great! How do keep your babies from throwing everything? I want to do this but I dont want a big mess.
Lol! They did get a bit of the corn kernels out of the box. I usually try to do it somewhere that can be swept up/vacuumed easily, or on a plastic table cloth saved for craft projects for an easy clean up! Whenever the weather is nice though, the preference is definitely to take it outside
This is an awesome idea. I never thought to add corn kernels, but my toddler would love that!
It was my kiddos’ favorite part of the bin! They loved how it felt to dig in
This looks like fun. My toddler actually saw the picture and said she wanted to do this! Thanks for sharing!
Aww haha I hope you guys have fun with it!
I wish I knew about this when my son was younger. He loved all of the sensory bins that I made but I never did a fall themed one. This is too cute./
What a great idea, who needs expensive toys when nature can provide all we need to learn and play.
Totally agree!
What a fun idea! I used to love making these fir my kids when they were smaller.
Sensory bins are great for little ones to learn about textures, smells, language, etc. Great ideas!
What a great idea, love these sensory bins so much