Rainbow Sensory Bin

Brighten up playtime with a rainbow sensory bin! Inside you’ll learn how to make this glorious garbanzo bean bin (it’s so, super easy), what else to add, and what kids are learning. 🌈

Want to know a secret about this rainbow sensory bin?

Can you guess the secret about these rainbow beans?

I made them two years ago.

The best thing about making dyed garbanzo beans is you make them once and you can pull them out and use them year after year after year!

And they’re a cinch to make. What’s not to love?

A child holds a red bowl filled with dyed chickpeas and large pom-poms in bright colors like yellow, purple, green, and blue. The sensory materials from the bin are visible in the background.

Why this rainbow sensory bin is perfect for preschoolers

This sensory bin is more than just fun—it’s a blend of creativity, skill-building, and educational magic.

It’s also a fantastic choice for a preschool rainbow theme, a St. Patrick’s Day preschool activity, preschool weather theme, or just a colorful creative exploration.

The vibrant colors provide an engaging visual experience that holds kids’ attention. Meanwhile, scooping, pouring, and sorting the materials helps strengthen fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

🌈 We’re dyeing beans here, but there are so many other things you could dye for your rainbow sensory bin filler:

Materials

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Dried garbanzo beans
Liquid watercolors or food coloring
Zip-top bags
Tray or parchment paper for drying
Shallow container
Rainbow-themed toys or tools (e.g., scoops, rainbow bowls, blocks, pom-poms, mini figurines, or tongs)

A smiling preschooler in a pink shirt holds two clear cups filled with dyed chickpeas. Behind her, the rainbow sensory bin is filled with pom-poms and sensory materials.

How to make a rainbow sensory bin

Add the dry garbanzo beans to a zip-top bag.
Pour in a splash of liquid watercolors or food coloring.
Seal the bag tightly and shake until all the beans are evenly coated in color.
Spread the colorful beans onto a tray or parchment paper and let them dry.
Once dry, transfer the beans into a shallow container.
Add your rainbow-themed toys and tools, and let the sensory fun begin.

🌈 Teacher tip: Here’s a complete step-by-step guide with photos on how to dye garbanzo beans.

A close-up of a hand holding a vibrant mix of dyed chickpeas in rainbow colors. The rainbow sensory bin materials spill out in the background.

How to store and reuse your rainbow sensory bin

One of the best parts about this rainbow sensory bin is that it’s entirely reusable. 🌈

Store your colored garbanzo beans in an airtight container or resealable bag to keep them fresh for future play.

If you want to rotate themes, use stackable bins to organize different sensory fillers.

I have a collection of plastic containers on a shelf in my garage so I can grab a filler and have a sensory bin ready in less than a minute.

Two children pour and scoop dyed chickpeas from a purple bowl into the sensory bin. The brightly colored chickpeas spill out, creating a playful and engaging scene.

Adapting the rainbow sensory table for all ages

This activity is easy to adjust for younger toddlers and older preschoolers.

For toddlers, focus on scooping and pouring activities, which help build hand-eye coordination. Use larger toys and tools to make it safer and easier for their little hands to grasp.

Older kids can level up by using tweezers or tongs to pick up individual beans. Encourage them to create patterns or count the beans as they play. Adding colorful bowls can encourage color sorting, too!

An overhead view of a sensory bin filled with dyed chickpeas in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Two children’s hands are playing in the bin with colorful pom-poms and a pair of tongs.

What kids are learning through sensory bins

Sensory bins like this one offer a wealth of developmental benefits. As kids explore the rainbow sensory bin, they’re building foundational skills in a playful way.

Fine motor skills: Scooping, pouring, and grasping objects strengthen small muscle movements.
Color recognition: The bold, vibrant beans make it easy to identify and name colors.
Math concepts: Sorting, counting, and pattern-making introduce basic math ideas.
Sensory exploration: Touching the beans and toys engages kids’ sense of touch, boosting sensory processing.