Alphabet Activities: 26 Sensory Bin Digs

Little ones love to dig!  Combine the love of digging with learning letters. Try these 26 alphabet sensory bins.

Alphabet Digs:  26 Sensory Bins for Kids

 

I came up with the idea of combining our investigation of the alphabet with construction vehicles and sensory play.  We came up with 26 Sensory Alphabet Digs!  Below you will find 26 items that can be used in a sensory bin.  We used small foam letters to hide in our bin.  You could also use alphabet rocks, or plastic letters.

Most of the time my boys used their construction vehicles to dig.  However, some of the sensory items work better with spoons and shovels for ease of clean-up.  So, here are 26 ideas listed A-Z for inspiration in your alphabet digs.

Full Disclosure:  I received a copy of Demolition to review.  All opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

The Sensory Bins

A- aquarium rocks

B-  beans (dried)

C-  cotton balls

D- dirt

E- Easter grass

F- feathers

G- grass

H- hay

I- ice cubes (We like to call them ice cube rocks!)

J- Jello

K- kitchen gadgets (measuring spoons, plastic cups, etc.)  It’s hard to come up with one for K?  Any other ideas?

L- leaves

M- moon sand (Here is a recipe from Irresistable Ideas for Play Based Learning)

N- nuts

O- oats

P- popcorn

Q- quinoa (cooked)

R- rice

S- sand

T- tissue paper (shredded)

U- uncooked pasta (Cooked pasta is another option too.)

V- veggies (Cut up pieces of leftover lettuce, carrots, peppers, etc.  Just keep a collection bag in your fridge.)

W- water

X- eXtra items you have on hand (buttons, bottle tops, paper balls, etc.)

Y- yarn (cut in different lengths)

Z- Zinnia Flowers (float them in water)

Book Tie-Ins

I love when books can introduce a project or activity.  Demolition by Sally Sutton and illustrated by Brian Lovelock is just one fun construction book that you can read to the kids.

Demolition takes place at a work site that is being cleared for a new playground.  Kids are introduced to wrecking balls, excavators, bulldozers, wood chippers and more.  I love the vivid language in the book, “Work the jaws. Work the jaws.  Bite and tear and slash.  Dinosaurs had teeth like this!”  The book is full of juicy verbs.  I also love the sound words that beg for kids to join in and act out.  “Screech!  Scrunch!  Rip!” goes the shredder truck.  My sons absolutely love construction vehicles and this has been a great addition to our reading stack.

Check out our other favorite construction books too. 

Happy digging and reading!  

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*This post first appeared on Growing Book by Book on 7/2/13.