21 Christmas Sensory Bin Ideas

Stimulate your senses this holiday season with these fun and creative Christmas sensory bin ideas! There are plenty of unique Christmas sensory activities for toddlers to preschoolers to enjoy this festive season. Christmas ornaments, cinnamon rice, Christmas bells, homemade playdough, and more!

What To Put In A Christmas Sensory Bin

Wondering what to put in a Christmas sensory bin? Starting with the sensory bin filler, here are a few ideas. We have our own list of Sensory Bin Fillers, but there are so many to choose from to put together a simple Christmas sensory bin. We also have a list of non-food items you can use too!

Here are a few sensory bin fillers to try! Get creative and add your own themes.

pom poms
water
corn kernels
cornmeal
cloud dough
dyed pasta
dyed rice
oats
playdough
crinkle paper (gift wrapping)
kinetic sand
acorns
tinsel

Remember to always supervise toddlers during sensory play, especially when small items are involved to prevent choking hazards.

Get Your Free Quick Start Christmas Sensory Bin Guide

It’s as easy as 1-2-3-4 to make a sensory bin! Follow this simple Christmas sensory guide to get started today.

Christmas Sensory Bin Ideas

Christmas Cloud Dough Sensory Bin

Awesome Christmas cloud dough for easy Christmas sensory play! Our Christmas cloud dough feels amazing on the hands and smells like cookies. Add some simple kitchen tools; cookie cutters, measuring cups and spoons.

Christmas Water Play Sensory Bin

Here’s a novel Christmas sensory bin that will have your kids playing happily for hours. Add plastic ornaments to warm water for active hands to dump, pour, and fill along with a baster for awesome fine motor skills. Simple sensory play for a Christmas win!

Peppermint Oobleck Sensory Bin

Give the classic 2 ingredient oobleck, a Christmas twist by adding Christmas peppermints to the mix. Or add items from a winter nature walk with our Evergreen oobleck recipe.

Christmas Magnetic Sensory Bin

Add various Christmas items to the sensory bin filler of your choice and a magnetic wand for kids to explore what’s magnetic and what’s not. Metal jingle bells, meta cookie cutters, and magnetic kit items in various sizes work well for this Christmas magnetic sensory bin.

Cinnamon Rice Sensory Bin

The smell of cinnamon always reminds me of Christmas! Make an amazing scented rice with vanilla and cinnamon. We added gingerbread-themed buttons left over from another project and these scented cinnamon salt dough ornaments!

Candy Cane Rice Sensory Bin

Dye rice red and white to create candy cane stripes. Add small Christmas-themed toys, mini candy canes, and scoops. See here for how to dye rice.

Jingle Bell Sensory Bin

Fill a bin with red and green pom-poms and jingle bells for a festive sensory experience.

Tinsel Sensory Bin

Add plastic Christmas ornaments, tinsel, and ribbon to the bin for a shiny and colorful sensory play.

Snowy Winter Wonderland

Fill the bin with fake snow, mini snowmen, and tiny trees for a snowy playtime adventure. Check out how easy it is to make fake snow.

Santa’s Workshop Sensory Bin

Use small toy tools, nuts, bolts, and toy figures to create a Santa’s workshop-themed sensory bin. Perfect for young kids who like to tinker!

Gingerbread Play

Make up a batch of our homemade gingerbread playdough, and add in some gingerbread cookie cutters, and small rolling pins.

Reindeer Food Sensory Bin

Combine oats with glitter, small toy reindeer, and jingle bells to make reindeer food for sensory play.

Stocking Stuffer Sensory Bin

Fill the bin with small wrapped presents, toy stockings, and soft fabric scraps to resemble stockings.

Nativity Scene Sensory Bin

Set up a miniature nativity scene with figurines, hay, and a small stable for a Christmas story experience.

North Pole Sensory Bin

Take your toddler to the North Pole! Create an icy Arctic scene with cotton balls, toy penguins, and polar bears.

Wrapping Paper Scraps Sensory Bin

Add colorful wrapping paper scraps, tape, child-safe scissors, and small boxes for wrapping and unwrapping fun.

Holiday Lights Bin

Fill the bin with colorful, battery-operated LED string lights and encourage kids to explore and arrange them.

Ribbon and Bow Sensory Bin

Offer an assortment of ribbons, bows, and gift tags for little hands to manipulate and decorate.

Felt Christmas Tree Sensory Bin

Create a felt Christmas tree with detachable ornaments and decorations for toddlers to customize and decorate.

Sensory Bin Tips and Tricks

Tip: Stand To Play

Due to various sensory needs, some kids may feel more comfortable standing to engage in the activity. Sitting on the floor or kneeling in front of a sensory bin may also be uncomfortable. My son’s sensory needs made standing the best choice for us.

Tip: Keep It Simple

When designing a themed sensory bin, consider how many items you put into the bin versus the size of the bin. Too many items may feel overwhelming. If your kid is playing happily with the sensory bin, resist the urge to add just one more thing!

Trick: How To Minimize Mess

It’s important for adults to model the appropriate use of sensory bins and to keep a close eye on young kids who may want to throw the filler and items. Keep a kid-size broom and dustpan handy to help them learn how to clean up spills.

Helpful Sensory Bin Resources

There’s so much more to learn about sensory bins and sensory play.

More Fun Preschool Christmas Activities

Check out all our Christmas activities for preschoolers, as well as…

Printable Preschool Pack

Get ready to explore this year with our growing Preschool STEM Bundle!

What’s Included:

There are 20+ preschool themes to get you started. This is an ” I can explore” series! Each unit contains approximately 15 activities, with instructions and templates as needed. Hands-on activities are provided to keep it fun and exciting. This includes sensory bins, experiments, games, and more! Easy supplies keep it low cost and book suggestions add to the learning time.