These 24 Sensory Bins For Toddlers Are Perfect For Playtime

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While past generations may have written off toddlers' toy time as "just playing," today we know how essential play time is for kids' development. And recently, sensory activities and sensory bins in particular have gotten a lot of attention for being so good for toddlers' brains.

Sensory play focuses on activities that engage your child's senses: sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. Sensory activities help kids to develop motor and language skills, foster cognitive growth and social development, and encourage experimentation, reports the Mayo Clinic.

Sensory play can be pretty intuitive. A toddler making mud pies or banging on pot lids could be a sensory activity. But if you want something that's a little easier on you as a parent, sensory bins are where it's at. These playful kits are filled with rice or beads and include toys, shapes, and tools to engage and excite your toddler. And they're designed to contain the mess to a single bin — phew.

We gathered together 24 sensory bins for toddlers that will keep your little ones entertained while building their brainpower and buying you a few minutes of quiet. Talk about a win.


— Additional reporting by Andi Breitowich

Robot Sensory Bin
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Robot Sensory Bin

Robot Sensory Bin ($35)

This handmade kit was created by a pediatric occupational therapist. Your tot will use the included tongs and tweezers for grasping, building, and scooping colored rice, wooden "gears," sparkle balls, jewels, mini robots, and loads more.

Mermaid Sensory Bin
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Mermaid Sensory Bin

Rainbow Bins Mermaid Sensory Bin ($37)

Does your toddler dream of being a mermaid? Get this themed sensory bin, which comes with blue rice or orange-scented Play-Doh, wooden mermaids, seashells, gems, a chest, and tools for play.

Dinosaur Sensory Bin
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Dinosaur Sensory Bin

Rainbowfun Dinosaur Sensory Bin ($21)

Dinosaurs in every color roam in this sensory bin, which also includes mini trees, glow-in-the-dark skeletons, stones, and more.

Farm-Themed Sensory Bin With Sand
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Farm-Themed Sensory Bin With Sand

Farm Sand Play Set ($33)

Spend a day on the farm with this cute sandy sensory bin! It includes farm workers, eight animals, fences, a utility tractor, play sand, and more.

Montessori Sensory Bin
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Montessori Sensory Bin

Tools With Wooden Box Sensory Bin ($46)

If your toddler could spend hours digging and playing pretend kitchen, then they will love this Montessori wooden sensory bin, featuring scoops, cups, chopsticks, and pots for your kid to experiment with.

Tea Party Sensory Bin
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Tea Party Sensory Bin

Little Wriggles Tea Party Sensory Bin ($30)

You're invited to a tea party, filled with tons of sprinkles! This kit has rainbow-colored rice that looks like sprinkles, plates, and a teapot that is just right for teatime.

Garden and Bugs Sensory Bin
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Garden and Bugs Sensory Bin

Garden Critters Sensory Bin ($20)

Plant flowers and play with creepy crawlers with this perfect-for-warm-weather sensory kit, which comes with green and tan sand, rocks, a shovel, and little toys to play with.

Farm-Themed Sensory Bin With Rice
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Farm-Themed Sensory Bin With Rice

On The Farm Sensory Bin Kit ($32)

This adorable sensory bin is perfect for little ones who love the local petting zoo. The kit includes farm animals, a mini wooden fence, tractors, farm trucks, flower pots, and more.


Ocean Shore Sensory Bin
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Ocean Shore Sensory Bin

Creativity For Kids Ocean & Sand Sensory Bin ($25)

Go under the sea with this fun bin, featuring a "beach" with sand, animals, and rocks and an "ocean" with water beads, fish, sharks, and more.

Construction Zone Sensory Bin
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Construction Zone Sensory Bin

Creativity For Kids Construction Zone Sensory Bin ($25)

It's a toddler-size construction zone! This bin is perfect for mini builders; they can play with trucks, a sand roller, a shovel, construction signs, and more.

Outer Space and Aliens Sensory Bin
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Outer Space and Aliens Sensory Bin

Creativity For Kids Sensory Bin Outer Space ($20)

Go out of this world with this second outer space–themed sensory bin, including aliens, space explorers, stars, and space rocks.

Ocean-Themed Sensory Bin
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Ocean-Themed Sensory Bin

Ocean Play Kit Sensory Bin ($31)

Discover the shells and fish floating underneath pretty blue colored rice and acrylic rocks in this bin, and get ready to watch your child dive deep under the sea.



Garden Sensory Bin
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Garden Sensory Bin

Modern Silo Garden Sensory Bin ($24 and up)

Help your kids fall in love with gardening with this garden-themed bin. It comes with black-dyed rice to look like dirt, fun plant toys, a rake, and a personalized wooden name.

Construction Site Sensory Bin
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Construction Site Sensory Bin

Montessori Construction Site Sensory Kit ($31)

If your toddler is ready to get to work, this construction kit will have them shoveling and building all day long. The kit comes with sensory sand, rocks, pinto beans, construction vehicles, signs, cones, and more!


Playfoam Sensory Bin
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Playfoam Sensory Bin

Educational Insights Playfoam Pluffle Sensory Station ($22)

The supersoft fluffy texture of this kit is perfect for developing fine motor skills and tactile play. Don't worry, the playfoam never dries out, so your kids can scoop, roll, dig, and pour day after day.

Ice Cream Sensory Bin
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Ice Cream Sensory Bin

Ice Cream Sensory Bin ($35)

Ice cream without the mess? Yes, please! This bin brings the summer fun indoors with this adorable kit, which includes an ice cream cup with spoon, a scooper, four ice cream erasers, cherries, pom-poms, and more.

Lemonade Stand Sensory Bin
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Lemonade Stand Sensory Bin

Lemonade Stand Sensory Bin ($40)

Inspired by a warm summer day, this kit features everything your toddler needs for a lemonade stand: colored rice, a pitcher, yellow and pink gems, ice cubes, mini lemons, paper straws, and more.

Spring Garden Sensory Bin
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Spring Garden Sensory Bin

Gardening Sensory Bin ($35)

This colorful sensory bin includes flower pots, a water can, ladybugs, ants, mini sticks, flower petals, a metal shovel, and tons more.

Buggy Sensory Bin
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Buggy Sensory Bin

Bug Sensory Bin ($39)

Science-minded kids will love this bin, which comes with mini bugs, scissor scoopers, mini gems, leaves, and more.

Pirate-Themed Sensory Bin
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Pirate-Themed Sensory Bin

Pirate Sensory Bin ($39)

Enjoy hours of playtime while your toddler hunts for treasure with this pirate-themed bin. The kit includes sensory sand (that never sticks to your hands!), pirate figurines, and under-the-sea gems.

Camping Sensory Bin
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Camping Sensory Bin

Camping Sensory Bin ($34)

It doesn't get much cuter than this bin, which includes s'mores, kayaks, deer, and mini pine trees. Little ones will love playing with the animals and roasting marshmallows in a bin of lentil beans and colored chickpeas.

Unicorn Play-Doh Sensory Bin
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Unicorn Play-Doh Sensory Bin

Humble Kind Shop Unicorn Play Dough Kit ($34 and up)

Your kid won't be able to put down this adorable pastel explosion, complete with colorful unicorn toys, gems, rocks, flowers, and homemade glitter Play-Doh.


Sushi-Themed Sensory Bin
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Sushi-Themed Sensory Bin

Sushi Sensory Kit ($39)

This kit is as cute as it comes. Let your toddler's imagination roll as they play with sensory dough, mini chopsticks, tiny sushi rolls, plastic cups, and more.

Flower Sensory Bin
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Flower Sensory Bin

Flower Sensory Bin ($30)

Play with mini dyed eggs, wooden ladybugs, gemstones, and flowers over a bed of green rice. It also comes with a wicker basket, wooden scoop, flower pot, and wooden peg people.