Many of you already know this about me…. I’m a big supporter of play-based piano lessons. Sensory play can be such a game changer when introducing new musical concepts to our young students.
Why? To start, here are 5 skills children develop through sensory play:
- cognitive function
- fine motor skills
- exploration & inquiry
- early literacy skills
- self awareness
Not only do these activities help students develop a wide range of skills, they engage students with their learning. I’ve found these activities especially beneficial for students ages 3-5 and some students with special needs.
How to set up the activity:
- Keep it SIMPLE and INEXPENSIVE
There are endless ways to create a fun & engaging sensory bin for your students. Get a bin (literally anything, a shoebox or large kitchen bowl even)
After you print and laminate the bin cards, toss them in your bin with items you already have around the house.
Filler ideas:
- rice
- dried pasta or cereal
- dried chick peas or lentils
- small rocks/pebbles
- leaves
- sand (highly recommend kinetic sand for clean-up reasons)
- cottonballs or pom poms
- uncooked popcorn
I love dyeing chick peas or white rice various colours using acrylic paint or food colouring (you can look up recipes for this)
You can also toss in additional small objects for students to dig through: acorns, gems, small toys, etc.
2. Make it ACCESSIBLE to students
Pro tip: once you set-up your sensory bin, keep it set-up all month long!
I recommend finding a space in your studio to leave your sensory bin out and ready to use. For me, that’s a small desk surface next to my printer. Really it could be a corner, on the floor, inside a large drawer, etc. as long as you don’t have to set-up/take down each time!
3. Store it with EASE
I keep all my holiday sensory bins in large Ziploc bags, bin cards and all. I just dump everything in there!
Then with a sharpie I label them “Halloween Sensory Bin”, “Easter Sensory Bin”, etc.
All my Ziploc bags live in a drawer and it’s so easy to just pull one out and dump into a bowl or bin.
There you have it, my best tips for using sensory bins in your studio! As an additional $$ saving tip, I bundle my sensory bin activities together so you can sav 30%! You can checkout the bundle here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Year-Long-Piano-Sensory-Bin-Activity-Bundle-8691395
I absolutely love seeing the unique ways you all set up your sensory bins in your studios and homes. If you feel inclined, please feel free to share photos on Instragram and tag me @meemilymusic.
Ms Emily
Ms Emily Music 