Celebrate Fall with this adorable and easy apple sensory bin! Perfect for little hands and big imaginations, it’s the ultimate preschool fall activity.
- Apple sensory bin for fall fun
- Benefits of apple sensory bins and sensory play
- Materials
- How to make an apple sensory bin
- 10 things kids learn from this dyed chickpea activity
- Looking for more ways to play with this preschool fall activity? Try these variations
- Add some fall flair to your apple sensory bin
- Make your own apple sensory bin with dyed garbanzo beans today
- Share your apple sensory bin creations
- Frequently Asked Questions
Apple sensory bin for fall fun
Fall is the perfect time to dive into sensory play, and what better way to do that than with a delightful apple sensory bin? 🍎
With dyed chickpeas as your “apples,” this activity is all about combining play with learning.
Not only does it keep preschoolers entertained, but it’s also a breeze to put together.
Benefits of apple sensory bins and sensory play
Sensory play is more than just fun and games; it’s a crucial part of early childhood development.
Engaging in sensory activities helps children explore the world through their senses, build nerve connections in the brain, and develop language, cognitive, and motor skills.
Plus, it fosters creativity and independent thinking, making it an essential tool in every family and educator’s toolbox.
Check out these additional apple-solutely adorable apple activities:
- Apple Pie Sensory Bin with Cinnamon and Oats
- Fall Tree Art for Preschoolers with a Paper Towel Tube
- Warm Tea Fall Sensory Table
- Leaf Letters
Materials
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- Dried chickpeas – also known as garbanzo beans
- Liquid watercolors (shown here), food coloring, or diluted acrylic paint
- Large plastic zip-top bag
- Shallow plastic sensory bin
- Red, yellow, and green pom-pom “apples”
- Mini pie tins
- Cinnamon sticks
- Mini pails or mini baskets
How to make an apple sensory bin
First, make the colored chickpeas
- In a bag, add your chickpeas and liquid watercolors. Start with about 2 cups of dried beans and ½ tablespoon of color, adding more color if needed.
- Don’t have liquid watercolors? No problem! You can use food coloring or diluted acrylic paint as a substitute.
- Shake the bag until the chickpeas are fully coated.
- Spread the dyed chickpeas out in a shallow container to dry.
Tip: Check out our detailed posts on dyeing chickpeas with liquid watercolors and our other post on dyeing chickpeas with acrylic paints.
Then, bring your apple sensory bin to life
- Once dry, pour the chickpeas into your sensory bin.
- Add the pom-poms, mini pie tins, cinnamon sticks, and mini pails.
- Invite your kids to dive in and start their apple-picking adventure!
10 things kids learn from this dyed chickpea activity
An apple sensory bin is a “bushel of learning” where kids pick up essential skills through play.
In this activity, kids are practicing:
- Fine motor skills
- Color recognition
- Counting practice
- Sensory exploration
- Hand-eye coordination
- Imaginative play
- Sorting and categorizing
- Exploring textures
- Creativity and problem-solving
Looking for more ways to play with this preschool fall activity? Try these variations:
- Apple Counting: Add numbered cards and have your child place the correct number of pom-pom apples into each mini pie tin.
- Color Sorting: Use only one color of pom-poms at a time and encourage your child to sort them into separate containers.
- Alphabet Hunt: Hide small alphabet letters among the chickpeas and have your child find and identify them.
Add some fall flair to your apple sensory bin
Want to add even more fun to this fall activity? Try freezing some of the dyed chickpeas for a chilly surprise. ❄️
It’s a fun twist that adds another layer of sensory exploration.
Kids will be amazed at how the frozen beans feel compared to the regular ones.
And it’s an excellent opportunity to sneak in a little science talk about temperature and states of matter.
Make your own apple sensory bin with dyed garbanzo beans today
There’s no better time than now to create your very own apple sensory bin.
This fall activity is not just a boredom buster but also a fantastic way to engage little minds.
The combination of dyed garbanzo beans, bright pom-poms, and fun fall-themed items makes it irresistible.
Plus, it’s a fun and easy way to celebrate the season!
Share your apple sensory bin creations
We’d love to see how your apple sensory bin turned out.
Share your creations on Instagram and tag us @FriendsArtLab so we can see your fabulous Fall fun!
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the weather and temperature. We made these on a very hot day, and after 20 minutes in the sun they were completely dry. These are usually dry within 1-2 hours if not in the sun.
Absolutely! Just store them in a dry container, and they’ll be good for future play.
Yes, natural food coloring works, but the colors may be less vibrant.
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