When I need a quick activity for my kids, I usually resort to a water activity of some kind due to a handful of reasons.
First, water is versatile. Anything can be added to it, such as coloring and scents. So it's easy to make it different and exciting each and every single time.
Second, it's great for working on fine motor skills. Scoop, pour, and repeat.
Third, it cleans up easy because, well...it's water.
Finally, my kids love playing with water and it keeps them busy for long periods of time.
And, since we've been on a bit of a lavender scented sensory play kick (see: lavender soap foam and lavender prewriting tray), I decided to make some lavender water to play with.
The end result is this gorgeous lavender water fine motor sensory bin that kept my youngest son busy for quite some time.
What You'll Need for this Lavender Water Fine Motor Sensory Bin
Not only is this lavender scented water sensory bin super duper easy to make, but it smells great and looks so inviting. Here's what we used to make it:
- Lavender essential oil - Wouldn't be much of a lavender sensory bin without it, right?
- Purple liquid watercolor or food coloring - How much you'll need depends not only on whether you are using liquid watercolor or food coloring, but on how much water you use, the size of the container you're using, and how vibrant you want the color to be.
- Water - How much you need will depend on the size of your container.
- Various kitchen utensils - Some good options include a ladle, spoons, turkey baster, bowls, colander/strainer, and whisk, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand that would target various fine motor skills.
In a large plastic container, mix water with 5-6 drops of lavender essential oil and a few squirts of purple liquid watercolor. Remember, how much liquid watercolors you will need to add really depends on how dark of a purple you want and how much water you use in the sensory bin.
Once the water is a nice purple color, set out some tools for scooping, pouring, and stirring. Think measuring spoons, scoops, spoons, basters, eye droppers, whisks, and whatever else you might have on hand.
Here's how I set up our lavender water sensory bin:
This Purple Sensory Bin is Perfect for Building Fine Motor Skills!
Four year old K has always been a fan of water sensory bins that encourage scooping and pouring, as evidenced by the various sensory "soups" that we have done over the past year or two. And, it never fails, he always uses the large spoon to scoop water into the ladle, like below.
But he did mix it up a bit by using the turkey baster to transfer water to the ladle.
The addition of the strainer was also a nice treat for K. I originally didn't supply a bowl, but he went and grabbed one himself (how resourceful he has become!) and started scooping and pouring the water through the strainer into the bowl. It was easily his favorite part of this sensory activity.
From there he moved to straining the lavender water back into the big plastic sensory bin container instead of the bowl.
My son had so much fun with this lavender water fine motor sensory bin activity!
This activity is part of the Fine Motor Series and includes these other fun fine motor activities:
Read Along & Fine Motor Activity: Swirl by Swirl from Powerful Mothering
Painting Recycled Cardboard Bugs from Stir the Wonder
LEGO Mini Hearts from Little Bins for Little Hands