• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Get Our Latest Updates: Download a FREE Set of Coloring Pages! ⇾

Menu Icon
Close Extra Navigation
  • Coloring Posters
  • Coloring Pages
  • Virtual Preschool
  • Shop
    • Giant Coloring Posters
    • Coloring Pages
    • Virtual Preschool • Semesters
    • Virtual Preschool • Weekly
    • Directed Drawings
    • Gift Card
  • Blog
    • Sensory
    • Art
    • Outdoor
    • Science
    • Draw
    • Math
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
Friends Art Lab

Friends Art Lab

LOGIN

Menu Icon
Close Extra Navigation
  • Coloring Posters
  • Coloring Pages
  • Virtual Preschool
  • Shop
    • Giant Coloring Posters
    • Coloring Pages
    • Virtual Preschool • Semesters
    • Virtual Preschool • Weekly
    • Directed Drawings
    • Gift Card
  • Blog
    • Sensory
    • Art
    • Outdoor
    • Science
    • Draw
    • Math
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
go to homepage
  • Coloring Posters
  • Coloring Pages
  • Virtual Preschool
  • Shop
    • Giant Coloring Posters
    • Coloring Pages
    • Virtual Preschool • Semesters
    • Virtual Preschool • Weekly
    • Directed Drawings
    • Gift Card
  • Blog
    • Sensory
    • Art
    • Outdoor
    • Science
    • Draw
    • Math
  • Coloring Posters
  • Coloring Pages
  • Virtual Preschool
  • Shop
    • Giant Coloring Posters
    • Coloring Pages
    • Virtual Preschool • Semesters
    • Virtual Preschool • Weekly
    • Directed Drawings
    • Gift Card
  • Blog
    • Sensory
    • Art
    • Outdoor
    • Science
    • Draw
    • Math
Friends Art Lab / Blog / Berry Basket Water Table Upcycling Activity

Berry Basket Water Table Upcycling Activity

Author: Kristian Klebofski    Published: 05/23/2023     Updated: 03/14/2025

We love an upcycled berry basket water table, and your kids will, too! If your family goes through a lot of fruit, save the berry baskets for easy, quick, FREE sensory play.

Two hands hold a plastic berry basket over a large, clear, plastic container filled with pink water and star beads. Water drains through the holes of the basket into the container.
Table of Contents:
  1. A berry basket water table is everything right
  2. Learn about upcycling with a berry basket water table
  3. Materials
  4. How to make a berry basket water table
  5. Why do berry containers have holes?
  6. What are kids learning from this EXACT activity?
  7. After you gobble up fruit, you’ve got to try this berry basket water table
  8. Frequently Asked Questions

A berry basket water table is everything right

If Costco is also your middle name, and you fly through fruit like it’s going out of style, we’re right there with you!

All that fruit, though, means you end up with several berry baskets that typically head straight to the trash.

BUT WAIT! Save the baskets for epic, free, glorious water play.

🍓 Related: Did you know that you can also upcycle the tube that our GIANT 10-foot coloring banners are shipped in to make giant rain sticks?

A purple hose nozzle has water showing into a large, clear, plastic container on a light grey table outside next to grass.

Learn about upcycling with a berry basket water table

Upcycling is the process of taking something normally headed for the garbage and repurposing it for something new.

It’s a beautiful way to reduce what’s in the landfill, AND it’s super easy to model with your kids.

Teachers: this is also something you can do with the whole class by asking your students’ families to send in their berry baskets, too.

🍓 Interested in more water table activities? We get it – water play is the best!

  • Spring Flower Sensory Table
  • Metallic Water Table
  • Pom-Pom Water Table
  • How to Make a DIY Water Table
On a light grey table are several empty plastic berry baskets, two yellow tomato baskets, and a large plastic bin filled with bright pink water and star beads.

Materials

Friends Art Lab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.

  • Plastic berry baskets
  • Bucket(s) of water
  • Small materials like beads or pom-poms
  • Liquid watercolors or food dye – optional
A bottle of bright pink liquid watercolors are poured into a large, plastic container of water for a berry basket water table.

How to make a berry basket water table

After you enjoy your fruit, save your baskets until you have a nice collection.

 I like saving different sizes, such as:

  • Blueberries
  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Tomatoes
  • Grapes

Each type of fruit comes with slightly different packaging, and it’s fun for kids to compare the differences between how they all drain water.

Fill up a bucket with water, add color and small materials if you’d like, and invite kids to explore the berry baskets.

Yes, it’s beautiful to watch, but I think the best part is the sound. It’s so soothing!

Two hands hold a plastic berry basket over a large, clear, plastic container filled with pink water and star beads. Water drains through the holes of the basket into the container.

Why do berry containers have holes?

I always assumed berry containers had holes so you could rinse them when you brought them home, but that’s actually not why.

Upon further investigation, I learned that berry baskets actually have holes for airflow.

It’s always fun with something’s function works for two purposes: airflow to prevent molding AND holes for sensory exploration.

A large plastic container is filled with bright pink water, star beads, and several empty berry baskets float on top.

What are kids learning from this EXACT activity?

Water tables are phenomenal opportunities for kids to discover all kinds of learning.

There are countless articles online, including this quick, easy NAEYC article that is a perfect overview for anyone new to water play.

  • Math – kids compare which berry container empties the fastest
  • Language – kids name the types of fruits that were packaged in each basket
  • Science – kids explore the motion of water
  • Social – kids share the materials and work together to fill and empty the baskets
  • Sensory – kids can see, touch, and listen to the water

At our in-person preschool, water play is a part of every day for its vast array of skills that kids can learn through something so fun.

A large bag of colorful star beads sits on a black shelf in front of a box of paper.

After you gobble up fruit, you’ve got to try this berry basket water table

Because it’s free, there’s no reason not to give this a whirl!

Don’t be surprised at how closely you’ll start looking at berry baskets when you grocery shop in the future. It happens to the best of us. 😂

A hand holds a plastic berry basket over a large, clear, plastic container filled with pink water, star beads, and several other berry baskets. Water drains through the holes of the basket into the container.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age are water tables best for?

As long as kids are closely supervised at all times around water, toddlers and up and can enjoy water play!

I don’t have small beads – what else can I use?

You don’t need to add in anything! If you want to add in something, you could use unifix cubes, pompoms, foam shapes, etc.

What do you do with the berry baskets when you’re done?

That’s up to you! You can save them for more water play, you can fill them with dirt and seeds for mini growing containers, or you could come up with something brand new. Have fun finding new uses for them!

Friends Art Lab Best Resources:

GIANT 10-Foot Coloring Banners 🎨
Printable Coloring Pages for Kids ✍🏼
Learn About Virtual Preschool 🖥️
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
← Previous Post
Non-Toy Gift for Kids: DIY Bead and Bubble Kit
Next Post →
Metallic Water Table Summer Activity 

EXPLORE A CATEGORYOutdoor, Sensory

Related Activities

  • Four containers of water sit on a table, each with one marker in them. Each maker has filled the containers with color (purple, orange, blue, green, and red.) The dried marker activity is ready to play with!
    Dried Marker Activity – DIY Water Table
  • The spring flower sensory table: A plastic bin is full of water and has TONS of flowers & flower petals floating at the top in oranges, pinks, yellows, purples, and greens.
    Spring Flower Sensory Table - Water Play Activity
  • Pom-Pom Water Table Sensory Activity
  • Wash the Rocks - Water Table Activity

Let’s Stay Connected!

Get our favorite ideas and news sent directly to your inbox.

Reader Interactions

LEAVE A COMMENT

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Kristian

Hi, I’m Kristian!

I have spent over 15 years in the preschool classroom, I have a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education, and I was a college professor of education for eight years. My passion is sharing creative learning activities for children and I'm so happy you're here.

LEARN MORE

Best Summer Activities

A collage of water table activities around the perimeter and in the center reads the text "30+ water table activities for kids"

Water Table Activities for Kids

A smiling preschooler stands outdoors at a water table, holding and squeezing a yellow sponge over a bin of turquoise water. The child’s colorful shirt and the bright green yard create a playful backdrop for this joyful moment during sponge water play for kids.

Sponge water play for kids

Hands holding a set of freshly frozen neon paint popsicles with distinct rainbow stripes of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple, ready for painting outdoors on a white surface.

How to Make Neon Paint Popsicles

A young girl with long blonde hair and a pink shirt smiles while playing at a white table filled with colorful neon water bins. Each bin holds a different bright color, and paint bottles are lined up behind them. The scene takes place on a sunny patio surrounded by greenery. This playful moment highlights the joy of neon water outdoor play for preschoolers.

Neon Water Outdoor Play Preschool Summer Activity

ALL SUMMER POSTS

Best Sensory Activities

A collage of water table activities around the perimeter and in the center reads the text "30+ water table activities for kids"

Water Table Activities for Kids

A smiling preschooler stands outdoors at a water table, holding and squeezing a yellow sponge over a bin of turquoise water. The child’s colorful shirt and the bright green yard create a playful backdrop for this joyful moment during sponge water play for kids.

Sponge water play for kids

A young girl with long blonde hair and a pink shirt smiles while playing at a white table filled with colorful neon water bins. Each bin holds a different bright color, and paint bottles are lined up behind them. The scene takes place on a sunny patio surrounded by greenery. This playful moment highlights the joy of neon water outdoor play for preschoolers.

Neon Water Outdoor Play Preschool Summer Activity

Side-by-side image showing a box of food coloring and a bin of green glitter water with two wooden spoons, part of a taste-safe sensory play setup.

Taste-Safe Sensory Play Shimmer Water

ALL SENSORY POSTS

Footer

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok

Friends Art Lab Shop

  • Coloring Banners
  • Virtual Preschool
  • Coloring Pages
  • Directed Draws
  • Affiliate Shop

Visit the Blog

  • Sensory
  • Art
  • Outdoor
  • Science
  • Draw
  • Math

Customer Service

  • Contact Us
  • Shipping
  • Return Policy
  • Gift Card
  • FAQ
  • About Us

© 2025 Friends Art Lab ·  Privacy Policy ·  Terms & Conditions ·  Disclosure ·  SITE CREDITS