Tag: sensory bin

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Sensory Bin: Reptiles & Amphibians

Getting creative with sensory bins is so overwhelming. Honestly, we mom’s don’t have the time to plan out extravagant sensory bins or trinket trays. I will say it over and over again. Sensory play is, can, and should be simple!

Life has been crazy busy so I went back to basics! A simple Rice bin with miniature amphibians and reptiles.

Everything in this bin we got from the Dollar Tree: rice, bin and even the reptile/amphibian miniatures. Sensory play can not only be simple, It can be frugal too! Total cost of this bin was $3, the hours of play… Priceless.

I purchased double the items at the time of this photo to help build up my sensory items for future bins. You definitely don’t need double!!

Mr. Man is definitely much younger in this photo, but that didn’t stop him from engaging with the dry sensory bin! I think at the time this was taken, he was not quite 2 years old…

He and I were looking at photographs and stumbled across this one. He remembered playing with this rice bin and asked if he could play with it again! I said yes and brought out all the materials. Not only did it give us an hour of play over a year ago, It gave us and hour or more of play again!! I’d say it has been very worth the $3!!

Stop over at our Instagram to see this bin and many more. Click on the instagram link or search our handle @yoyoclubmn. Check out and save this idea on Pinterest or search our page yoyoclubmn. Lastly check out other sensory play posts. We look forward to engaging in all things sensory, frugal, outdoor, and educational play with you. See you soon!

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Sensory Bin for Spring: Birds

Spring has FINALLY made its arrival here at the club and what a better way to celebrate that than with fun spring-themed sensory bins! This sensory bin was so easy to make and provided hours of fun.

Mr. Man loves to watch birds. He will sit in a chair, on your lap, stand on the couch, etc. all to be able to see more birds. This provides an amazing opportunity to talk about our ecosystem, migration, types of birds, and all things nature. He asks so many great questions and makes adorable comparisons between himself and the birds. 😊

So to foster further learning, I decided to lean into his interests and develop a sensory bin with a bird theme perfect for spring.

To say it was a hit may just be an understatement… he was so engaged it was hard to clean up and be all done at the end of the night! He engaged in pretend play by having the birds eat the seeds, color identification and sorting, size identification and sorting, and generally messy, sensory exploration.

Sensory bin with birdseed. Mr. Man pretending that the birds are eating the seed.

Don’t worry, Mini Man got in on the action. He did some tummy time with the sensory material in a bag. This allows him to safely explore sensory stimuli while also working on his back, neck, and arm muscles. He’s a hoot making all his faces and slapping/grabbing the bag.

Although he did want to play more with big brother’s sensory bin…. Soon enough buddy… soon enough.

This bin was so easy to make and I have lots of materials left over to make many more bins. See below for the “recipe” and developmental learning card. Head over to Pinterest and Instagram to see more sensory bin ideas!

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Welcome to the club!!

Welcome to the club! the YoYo club that is… here we acknowledge that you’re only young once (yoyo) but play and fun are ageless! I am a working mom who is constantly learning how to balance mom life and work-life while optimizing my kids’ learning and play opportunities.

Me! The leader of this club 😊

Mimi is my mom, and we (my young boys, myself, and my husband) are her muses for all things sewing and fun. She has built this lake life and I made it an exclusive club for moms and dads of littles. By day I’m a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with a specialty in child and adolescent mental health. I aim to bring my knowledge of development to all parents.

Mr. Man learning to fish 🎣 outdoor play is vital to overall learning outcomes.

Join our club to find all things sensory and play-based from my littles (Mr. Man and Mini Man). We make fun sensory bins and share budget-friendly ideas. Explore how these play ideas are supporting your child’s development. Hop over to Instagram @yoyoclubmn to see all the ways we learn through play and accompany me in the fun and adventure!!

Mini Man playing on his sensory mat