Bird Sensory Bin
A fun indoor activity for kids for bird-loving kids, this Bird Seed Sensory Bin is a fun way to learn about birds and work on fine motor skills.
Bird Sensory Bin for Kids
Every Spring and Autumn, birds are a constant topic of conversation and source for curiosity among my daycare kids.
We make bird feeders, bring our binoculars outside to scope the neighbourhood for birds, make our own giant birds’ nests out of blankets while reading books about birds, and practice our best bird sounds… often.
I try to make a new sensory bin for them to explore every week and so of course I had to make a bird sensory bin! This sensory bin uses bird seed as a base not just because it’s an affordable sensory bin filler, but also to allow us to trace letters and designs into the bird seed (using our fingers or feathers), scoop it using measuring cups or handy scoopers, and when we’re done with the sensory bin the bird seed can be put outside for our feathered friends to enjoy. (Unlike many sensory bin fillers which just have to be thrown out after you’re done using them.)
My two favorite aspects of this sensory bin were the tweeting bird figurines which the kids had so much fun trying to set off and imitating their noises, and our new handy scoopers. These scoopers teach children how to use their thumb, index and middle fingers to open and close the scooper, preparing them for scissor skills and building the same group of muscles needed for writing.
Whenever I make a sensory bin, I try to make it open-ended while ensuring that I provide a few opportunities to explore different concepts. I try to let the kids navigate their own play and ask questions about what they are exploring or enjoying. I’ll often get in there and play with them, and sometimes I’ll show concepts with my own play, for example, using the feathers in the bin to count or using them to create shapes or letters.
If you had bird identification cards, I think they would be a great addition to this sensory bin – especially if they matched up to the bird figurines.
More Bird Activities for Kids
- Easy Homemade Bird Feeder Kids Can Make
- 20+ Bird Crafts for Kids
- PB&J Bird Seed Ornaments
- 50+ Ideas for a Preschool Bird Unit Study
- B is for Bird Jolly Phonics Activities
- Bird Seed Slime
Bird Seed Sensory Bin Materials
- Bird Seed
- Crinkled Paper
- Wooden Birdhouses
- Bird Toob Figurines
- Feathers
- Chirping Bird Figurines
- Handy Scooper <– you can use other scoops, if desired
Tip: feel free to swap out any of the sensory bin materials that we used out for materials you already have on hand.
How to Make and Play with a Bird Sensory Bin
To make the bird sensory bin, I grabbed a large plastic tote box and filled it with a giant 5lb bag of bird seed.
I had some crimped paper from a shipment that I thought would make a cute nest in the corner and two small wooden birdhouses that the kids had painted, so those got added in.
The rest of the sensory bin was filled out with feathers and bird figurines (a combination of ones that had motion-activated bird sounds and Toob birds).
I also included our new handy scoopers, which were great for scooping bird seed.
If your crew is new to sensory bins, go over the rules and expectations of the bin. IE, no throwing items, if you want all items to remain in the sensory bin, etc. You may also want to put down a plastic tarp or tablecloth for easy clean up.
It was so fun watching all of the different ways that the kids played with this bird sensory bin over the week:
- drawing in the bird seed with feathers
- making little nests and having the birds “take care of the nests”
- setting up pretend play scenarios between the birds
- scooping bird seed with the handy scooper and filling up the bird houses with the bird seed
- counting out the feathers and talking about the different colors of the feathers
- matching the different colored feathers to each other and to the bird figurines
But one of my favorite ways that the kids played with this sensory bin was having them explore the motion activated sound for the chirping bird figurines and then try to imitate those sounds. The below picture sequence is my daughter working on her “two-weet” noise – you can practically hear it just looking at the pictures.
I will warn you though, after a week you will want to hide those chirping bird figurines in a closet.
Pin this Easy Bird Sensory Bin for Kids to Explore:
Grab your free printable instructions for our bird sensory bin:
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Sugar, Spice and Glitter.
Bird Sensory Bin
A quick and easy sensory bin for kids, this Bird Sensory Bin allows for fine motor skill development while learning about our feathered friends.
Materials
- Bird Seed
- Crinkled Paper
- Wooden Birdhouses
- Bird Toob Figurines
- Feathers
- Chirping Bird Figurines
Tools
- Large Tote Bin
- Handy Scooper
Instructions
- To make the bird sensory bin, I grabbed a large plastic tote box and filled it with a giant 5lb bag of bird seed.
- I had some crimped paper from a shipment that I thought would make a cute nest in the corner and two small wooden birdhouses that the kids had painted, so those got added in.
- The rest of the sensory bin was filled out with feathers and bird figurines (a combination of ones that had motion-activated bird sounds and Toob birds).
- I also included our new handy scoopers, which were great for scooping bird seed.
- If your crew is new to sensory bins, go over the rules and expectations of the bin. IE, no throwing items, if you want all items to remain in the sensory bin, etc. You may also want to put down a plastic tarp or tablecloth for easy clean up.
Notes
It was so fun watching all of the different ways that the kids played with this bird sensory bin over the week:
- drawing in the bird seed with feathers
- making little nests and having the birds "take care of the nests"
- setting up pretend play scenarios between the birds
- scooping bird seed with the handy scooper and filling up the bird houses with the bird seed
- counting out the feathers and talking about the different colors of the feathers
- matching the different colored feathers to each other and to the bird figurines
- trying to imitate the sounds the chirping bird toys made
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I hope your kids love getting to explore their own bird sensory bin – let me know what materials you end up adding to yours!
For more fun sensory play activities for kids, check out our full sensory play section here:
