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I don't have access to a babysitter on Thursdays when I teach piano, so usually the boys either play and eat snacks in the dining room or K hangs out in the ERGO on my back or I turn on the TV. I decided to try setting up a sensory bin to see if that would hold their attention for at least the first 30 minute lesson.
Materials
Large plastic bin
Egg carton with two plastic eggs
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Large spoons
Small pot without lid
Some plastic containers from the recycling
Dried beans
I set this sensory bin up in the dining room so that I could still supervise them while I taught piano in the adjoining room.
The invitation to scoop, dump, and "cook."
Both boys were so excited to dig in. J exclaimed, "Oh beans! Mmmm...bean soup!"
Checking out the bin
Look at K measuring some beans.
This sensory bin kept the boys busy for a solid 20 minutes and I think my student was relieved to have had minimal interruptions. However, things turned messy at this point. J dumped the entire bin on the floor. Then both boys started rolling and swishing the beans around with their hands. They were having a blast, laughing and squealing, and the beans ended up EVERYWHERE. That's when they abandoned the room, leaving this mess:
The aftermath
The sign of a successful sensory bin is always measured by the mess left behind. And of course, our cat Scooter couldn't resist playing with the beans after the boys left the room.
