There is something magical about winter. I love the crispy cold days, the warm living rooms and pouring hot chocolate for the kids when they get home from school. This is the perfect time for setting up some fun winter sensory play bins or activities.

This little sensory tray has been sitting out since autumn (!) and has slowly been evolving from this to this and now this. We tend to make up little stories around our sensory small worlds and this one is about no other than our good friend Bambi.

Bambi is all grown up nowadays and needs to find some food for Faline and the twins this winter. It’s been snowing a lot and he needs your help to search for something to eat. Can you help him?

Watch and be entertained as the children not only find nuts and seeds but also, fruit veggies and might even meet a few little animals who are also looking for something to eat!

Setting up Your Winter Sensory Play Tray

Sensory bins a very easy to set up. All you need is a bin of some kind, a sensory filler and some items to play.

Here’s what we used for our winter sensory play activity:

• a wooden serving tray
• walnuts, corn kernels, pumpkin seeds and chickpeas
• wooden craft stars and little branches (from the dollar shop)
• mountain and trees which were handmade by My Big World
• Playmobil fruits, veggies and animals
• a toy buck
• shredded paper

How we set it all up:

First I threw the nuts and seeds in the tray and mixed it all around a bit. Then I added the Playmobil fruits, veggies and animals. I positioned the mountains and trees. Lastly I covered it all up with shredded paper and added some of the little branches.

Then, when Bambi shows up. The fun can begin!

Winter Sensory Play Time!

There are lots of ways in which you can interact with this gorgeous little winter sensory play tray. With a little bit of tweaking, adding a few story lines or setting some challenges, this sensory winter small world can be enjoyed over and over again.

Here are a couple of ideas for you:

• turn it into a game: see who can find the most food the fastest
• add a fun learning aspect: what animals can you find in the tray and what would they eat in real life? where would the sleep? …
• set up a small world: add some more of Bambi’s family and friends and let the children play
• practice numeracy and literacy: counting the mountains, trees, food, animals and naming the things you see
• play the sensory game: close your eyes and try to find … a carrot! or any other food, animal you’re hiding in there
• use this winter sensory play tray as the start of an interactive storytelling session

You could set this up as an invitation to play, learn, explore or create. You could also use a winter sensory play tray as an after school or pre/post nap quiet time activity. You can take it to grandma and grandpa for some fun quality time (I bet they will have the best stories to go with this small world!) or leave it out somewhere in your home for children to come back to again and again.

I can imagine you could keep adding to that list. Find out what kind of play your children would love the most or gravitate towards on their own and go with it!

More Small World Sensory Play Ideas

All kids love small world sensory play. All these sensations, smells, little things to discover and explore are simply irresistible to most children. The world of sensory play is HUGE and I can’t even begin to point you in any direction as there are so many clever ideas out there. You could have a look on my Sensory Play Pinterest board for themes, recipes, play ideas, bins and so much more. I am convinced you will find something that is just perfect for you right now.

And do have a look at our other sensory play activities here or discover the wonderful world of small world play in this article and have a look at all of the small worlds we created here.

There, that will keep you busy this week!

Have fun!

Ann*

Want to pin this post? You can do that here.