This reindeer sensory bin is a winter wonderland of sensory enchantment! The kids are going to love playing with the reindeer in the snow. Be sure to add it to your list of Christmas activities for preschoolers and kindergarten kids.
Children explore important early learning concepts with this reindeer sensory play. Multiple senses are engaged as the children explore the soft and flaky texture of the snow along with all of the fun reindeer-themed add-ons.
On top of being super fun, the reindeer sensory activity can be adapted to fit the needs and interests of your students.
I like to use sensory play as a form of exploratory learning in the classroom. It’s a great way to promote learning and engage sensory-seeking kids in a targeted, meaningful way. On top of that, sensory play is a great tool for self-regulation, especially in young children. And, to be frank, it’s just plain fun!
Reindeer Sensory Bin
As a teacher and mom, I love seeing Christmas through the lens of a child every holiday season. And I love keeping the magic of the season alive. One magical aspect of Christmas is reindeer. So, with that in mind, I like to include a few reindeer-themed activities in my lesson plans leading up to Christmas.
This sensory play combines the magic of Christmas, the whimsy of reindeer, and the excitement of sensory play, all in one activity. The kids are going to have an absolute blast with the reindeer sensory bin!
Materials for Your Reindeer Sensory Activity
As with any kids’ activity, it’s important to gather the necessary materials before getting started. There are a few unique items needed for this particular activity. But don’t worry, the material list isn’t too long.
Here’s what you’ll need for the reindeer sensory bin (I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post):
- Sensory bin
- Insta-Snow powder
- Reindeer figurines
- Bottle-brush Christmas trees
- Snowflake confetti
- Jingle bells
- Tree figures
- 3D snowflakes
- Small bowls to hold the different materials
- Scoops and spoons
If you don’t have all of these items, that’s okay! You can substitute or leave items out. Use what you have on hand or peruse the local craft or dollar store. The reindeer sensory bin will be fun regardless of the specific items you add to it!
Once you have all of the materials ready, you can move on to the next steps of putting the reindeer sensory tray together.
How to Prep the Reindeer Sensory Invitation
The reindeer sensory bin is surprisingly easy to put together. It’s like a sensory soup! First, prepare the base. Then, throw in all of the extra ingredients.
Start by preparing the Insta-Snow by following the directions on the container. Most of them just call for water. No mixing or anything. So simple! And it can be made right in the sensory bin. Just measure out the amount of snow you want and add water. Then watch as the snow develops!
Next, add in all of your extras: reindeer, bottlebrush trees, snowflake confetti, jingle bells, tree figures, and 3D snowflakes.
Related: Hot Chocolate Cutting Strips
And that’s it! the reindeer sensory soup is ready for the kids to devour!
How Kids Can Use the Reindeer Sensory Bin
Now comes the fun part – reindeer sensory play!
To start, It might be a good idea to keep the play pieces separated into small containers instead of placing them directly in the snow. That way, the students can use their imaginations to set up the scene as they see fit.
The small bowls also add more play opportunities. You might find some children using the bowls to create small playscapes, making a variety of small winter scenes in each.
Other children might get to work creating a larger, more elaborate North Pole scene. Some will focus on the reindeer, making families, and having them frolic through the snow. Others still might ring the jingle bells and fly the reindeer through the air as they hum the song, “Jingle Bells.”
Some of the kids will focus more on the snow, scooping it up and letting it flurry back into the bin. Maybe they’ll place snow on the bottlebrush trees and the backs of the reindeer. Or they might use the reindeer to create tracks through the snow.
I’m sure there will even be some students who are so focused on the interesting texture of the Insta-Snow that they don’t even notice the reindeer or Christmas trees at all. You’ll find them digging through the snow or making mountains of snowballs.
My favorite thing about open-ended sensory play activities like this reindeer sensory bin is that there is no “right” way to play. It’s all based on the kids’ ideas. And you might be surprised with just how creative they can get!
Do you like including sensory play in your Christmas lesson plans? If so, be sure to save this post for future reference. It’s also a great option for a snow theme!
More Reindeer Activities for Kids
If your students love the reindeer sensory bin, here are even more activities that include reindeer:
- Graham Cracker Reindeer
- Shape Reindeer
- Christmas Calendar Numbers
- Feed the Reindeer Literacy Game
- Reindeer Paper Plate Craft
- Candy Cane Reindeer
So, if your students seem excited about reindeer, there is so much reindeer fun to be had! Be sure to save this post for future reference. If you have a Christmas Pinterest board, like I do, that would be a great start!
Winter Lesson Plans
I know just how time-consuming and tedious it can be to plan meaningful lessons and activities for preschoolers week after week. If you’re in the same boat, let Preschool Teacher 101 save you time! We have lesson plans, STEM challenges, classroom management guides, dramatic play packs, circle time songs, and so much more.
As the seasons change, let the children explore the signs of winter. Our winter lesson plans include activity ideas, all related printables, book recommendations, and so much more! Click on the image below to learn more about this product.
We even have a membership program, The Pack, for preschool and kindergarten teachers. Click on the images below to see some of our other great winter-themed resources.
You can also find us on Teachers Pay Teachers.
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