Apple Sensory Bin

 I have to admit I got really excited about this one!  We've been  having a lot of fun with fall stuff around here, and Isaiah's curriculum hit a unit on apples.  I had seen some great apple sensory bins online, and I pulled some inspiration from those, gathered some things that we had here, and put this one together.

I used quick oats for the base and then added in quite a few cinnamon sticks.  Cinnamon here doesn't really come in those neatly rolled little sticks that you find in the States, but I kind of like that it looks a bit more "rustic" or something. :)  Then I had saved some random log pieces and a couple little straw bins from some play set, and we actually were able to buy a Playmobile set from some expats who were leaving here awhile ago, which is where the plastic trees, bucket, shovel, and trough thing (oh, and the little squirrel) came from.  I filled the little basket with red plastic beads, put a bunch of small red pom poms throughout, and put several red felted balls in the trough.  

I set out a couple of cups and tongs with the bin.

Thankfully, Zeke was (almost) as excited as I was about this one and pulled it out to play with every day during the week we made it.

Being perfectly honest, sometimes it is a little hard for me to see things I put together getting "messed up" and played with differently than I expect!  But, he had so much fun with it, and the whole reason I put these together is for exploration and fun and play and open-ended experiences for the senses!  Still learning to let go sometimes and let that actually happen! :)