Fun Kids' Birthday Parties

Your guide to throw age-appropriate home-made fun kids’ birthday parties​

Clean the Ocean: Sensory Bin for Preschoolers

Does your child like sea animals? Elevate their interest to a new level with this sensory bin. This bin is a great companion to the other three under the sea party theme: Gooey sea animal sensory bin, Chemical reaction meet Sea Life, and Under the Sea Party Sand Play Dough.

Two sea sensory bins

What is a sensory bin?

Sensory bins are containers filled with a range of materials that engage children’s senses. From water and sand to rice, flour, dry beans, shaving cream and more—these engaging bin fillers offer endless possibilities for creative play, tailored to your child’s age.

What makes sensory bins so irresistible to children?

Sensory bins offer a range of sensory experiences for all the five senses: sound, smell, taste, sight and touch. This sensory input provide children an opportunity to fully immerse in the present moment. As they immerse themselves into play, they pay attention to the different materials they are manipulating in a calm and relaxed way.

Why are sensory bins the perfect activity for birthday party celebrations?

As mentioned before. children get involved in play using all their five senses. If the sensory bin is big enough for 3 to 5 children to play simultaneously, then fun is almost guaranteed throughout the entire party.

Clean up the ocean, save the sea creatures bin!

I love this sensory bin! it includes water play, fine motor skills and a small world to wonder. The invitation for the children is to use a variety of spoons, handy scoopers, strainers, an insect net and jugs to try to get out as much balls, pom-poms, and plastic caps as they can find inside the container. The mission is to clean up the water and to see what beautiful animals are hidden underneath all the “waste”. You could also paired this activity with an ocean bingo game, that children will love to play with.

Clean the ocean sensory bin

I like to use bins that are huge so they can offer room for 4 to 5 kids to play together as a team. Use the kitchen utensils that you have at hand making sure there are not sharp or rusted.

What you will need

  • 1 plastic container
  • Ocean life figurines
  • Plastic balls of different sizes
  • Pom-poms in a variety of colors and sizes
  • Plastic caps (I used pouch caps)
  • Blue food coloring
  • 2 scoopers
  • 1 insect net
  • 2 droppers
  • 3 metal strainers
  • 2 measuring jugs
  • 1 ladle
  • 1 pasta spoon
  • 1 slotted spoon
  • 1 spoon
  • Containers
What you need to make the Clean the ocean sensory bin

How to make it?

  1. Fill your container with water, stopping just shy of halfway up.
  2. Add blue food coloring and mix.
    Clean the ocean sensory bin: add food coloring
  3. Add as much ocean animals as you like.
    Clean the ocean sensory bin: add the animals
  4. Add all the balls, pom-pom and caps.
  5. Include all the kitchen utensils for a fun an entertaining adventure. You could leave the tools outside or inside the bin, as you prefer.
    Clean the ocean sensory bin: finished

Time to play!

With the different utensils, it is more or less easy for children to take out all the different “wastes”. Use the extra containers to collect the recovered items.

Use the strainer to clean the ocean
Use the ladle to clean the ocean
Use a scooper to clean the ocean
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