Oatmeal Sensory Bin

 

Sensory bins are great exploration fun.  I have a lot of leftover steel cut oatmeal that I bought when I was making my own baby food.  I didn’t like the steel cut oatmeal and ended up using quick oats instead.  I’ve been trying to find uses for the steel cut oatmeal ever since.    One time, I gave Aiden some of the oatmeal, a muffin tin, a bowl, and some utensils.  This was tons of fun but a HUGE mess.

 

This time I put the oatmeal in a tall box and asked Aiden to keep it in the box.  He absolutely loved this sensory bin.  It kept him busy for a long time.  I played with him dumping and filling cups, driving cars and trains through the bin, covering and uncovering things, and drawing letters and shapes.  Great activities for fine motor skills development.

 

 

Steel cut oatmeal feels a lot like playing with tiny rocks or coarse sand.  If you don’t have steel cut oats, try filling a bin with quick oats, rice, or barley.  Make sure to watch your little one while they are playing {especially if they like to put things in the mouth}.

Playing in the oatmeal was a very calming experiencing for me.  There’s something about running it through your fingers and hands.  It actually reminds me of playing at the beach.  I can imagine the ocean breeze, the wave sounds, and the birds.  No wonder Aiden enjoys the oatmeal bin so much!

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