Check Out This Simple To Make Jello Sensory Play Idea For Toddlers And Preschoolers. Messy Fun For Kids!
Do your kids love to squish and splat their food, water, or really anything they can get their hands on? Well this Under The Sea Jell-O Sensory Bin is perfect for them! With just a few simple supplies, you can make the best messy sensory bin for kids. Not only did my toddler love this sensory activity but her 7 year old brother did too. I guess you’re never too old to squish jello between your fingers and toes.
Jell-O sensory play is perfect for little kids because it’s edible. Seems like my little one is always putting things in her mouth so I wanted to find a fun and safe sensory activity for her. This is also a great activity to help sensory sensitive kids branch out with new textures and sensations. Making sensory time a game is always a great way to help ease kids into a messy activity.
What You Will Need For This Sensory Project
- 1 large plastic container
- 4 boxes of blue Jell-O
- 6 cups boiling water and 6 cups cold water
- 1 package of small plastic sea creatures(like these from Amazon)
- 2 cups crushed Cheerios or Rice Krispies cereal (optional)
How To Make An Under The Sea Jello Sensory Bin
1. Make the Jello:
Find a bin, container, Tupperware dish to use for this jello sensory bin. I used a large storage bin from our play room that is 15 inches long, 10 inches wide, and 4 inches deep.
Boil 6 cups of water. Once boiling, turn off heat and add 4 boxes of jello mix. Stir until completely dissolved. Stir in 6 additional cups of cool water into the jello mixture. Pour the mixture into your sensory bin.
Drop in your plastic sea creatures and make sure that they are evenly spaced throughout your bin. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until your jello has set. I refrigerated mine over night.
2. Add the Beach (optional):
In a gallon size ziplock bag crush 2 cups of Cheerios or Rice Krispie cereal. This is the “sand” for your sensory bin. Pour the cereal sand on top of half of the jello (after it has been refrigerated and set) to create a beach. You can add a few plastic sea animals to the beach for fun!
3. Time to Play
Head outside with your Jello sensory bin for some fun messy play! This activity can be done indoors on a towel or plastic table cloth if you can’t play outside. Let your kids squish the jello to find all the sea creatures. They can use their fingers, spoons, or tongs to scoop out the plastic animals. My daughter loved this messy activity so much she used her feet to squish the jello!
4. Clean Up
Once your kids are done playing with this amazing ocean sensory bin, simply dump out the jello and rinse your bin with the hose. Add a little water to your clean sensory bin and have your kids wash the plastic sea creatures to get all the jello off. This is a great way to make play time last a little longer!
Helpful Tips When Making A Messy Sensory Bin
Kids love messy toys. They just do! So to help keep your house clean and your sanity intact follow these simple tips when you kids are ready for messy play time.
- Take this messy play outside! Trust me this is the perfect outside activity for kids.
- I was afraid that the blue jello would stain my white toy bin but surprisingly it didn’t! BUT, if you’re worried about using a good container for this messy under the sea sensory bin, pick up some aluminum baking dishes from the dollar store. You can throw these away after your kids finish playing with the jell-O sensory bin!
- Wear old clothes that you don’t mind getting stained. Blue jell-O will stain! You don’t want to worry about your kids ruining their clothes during this sensory activity.
- Jell-O sensory play is so much fun for kids. Let them squish it in their hands and even their feet. When they are done playing, simply wash them off with the hose!
- Clean up is breeze. Simply dump the used jell-O onto your grass or rocks and wash it away with the hose.
Jello makes the best sensory play for toddlers and preschoolers. It’s not only fun to make but extremely fun to squish and splat. Rescuing the sea animals is a great way for kids to improve fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination too. Do yourself a favor and pick up some boxes of blue jello next time you’re at the store so that you can make the best Ocean Jello Sensory Bin ever!
More Outdoor Fun For Kids 👇🏻
DIY Orange Bird Feeders|DIY Flower Trees |Painting With Cars
