Post Holiday Sensory Bin

Here is our wrapping paper and bow sensory bin we came up with using leftovers from Christmas. My son (13 mo) LOVED the bows on Christmas. He played with them while his presents were being opened by other people. Also, I've noticed that while he really didn't have much interest in tearing the wrapping paper off his gifts, he does often like to tear apart a random paper or tissue that he gets a hold of. So, seeing all the sensory bins other people have been doing on various blogs, I decided to give it a try. Here are some photos. (You can also see our light box in some of the photos.)

Yeah, little buddy is very active and tends to get distracted sometimes, but that's ok. He did come back to it.

He decided to decorate the light box all on his own :)

As you can see, I just used a drawer from my plastic storage cart.

Remember, a sensory "bin" can be anything that will hold the necessary items.

He did end up tearing some of the paper up. He carried one piece all around the room with him for a while. I used different types of wrapping paper in the bin. The shiny and see through ones could not be easily ripped. I wanted to see what he would do if he couldn't tear it, but he never got that far. 

Also, an important thing to remember in learning through play is that there are no such things as mistakes and  that messes are ok. Example: I knocked L's cereal on the floor and it spilled right in front of him. Just as I was about to get frustrated, he began picking them up one by one and putting them in the container I had just given him to play with. What was especially great about this is that earlier I had been showing him how to clean up his blocks from the floor (since he LOVES to throw them there, but rarely picks them up). So you can see why I was a little happily surprised! I love how little ones always put you in check and help you remember the important things. Each and every moment can be a teaching moment if you seize the opportunity.

Have you seized the opportunity for a teachable moment recently? Leave me a comment about it!

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