Pom Pom Sensory Bin

If you are looking for a way to reset a hard day or give your kids something to do that will bring them joy, you can stop your search! This activity is unexpected and full of fun and imagination! If you have some pom poms and a bucket or bin, you can create this wonderful play opportunity with basically zero prep work.

I keep one bag of pom poms that we wash whenever necessary. I’ll share the process below, so keep reading.

Here’s What You Need

• Pom poms

• Sensory bin

• Water- I always make mine a touch warmer when it’s still cool outside and cooler when it’s hot outside. I find adjusting the temperature helps keeps the kids engaged with the activity longer.

• Kitchen utensils- a lemon juicer, a can strainer, a whisk, slotted spoons, and measuring cups are always the biggest hits

• Towels

Set up

2 minutes

1. Set out your towels and fill your sensory bin with water.

2. Toss in the pom poms and lay out the kitchen utensils and tools.

Clean Up

3-5 minutes

1. Collect the pom poms. I place them in a mesh garment bag or pillowcase and squeeze out any excess water. Toss in the dryer with your next load. Don’t forget to tie the pillowcase or zip the mesh bag- you don’t want pom poms sticking to the back of your pants! My pillowcase is usually damp at the knotted area, so I have to either let it air dry or toss it in the dryer again, FYI.

2. Empty out the water and throw any utensils in the dishwasher.

3. Use the towels to mop up any stray water and throw them in your washing machine with the next load.

Our towels stayed fairly dry, until the very end while I was collecting the utensils and Ellette decided to get in the sensory bin! She loved the warm water and water is easy enough to clean, so I let her go nuts. She thought it was the best thing of her whole life to be sitting in a small container of warm water with all of her clothes on.

I basically had to pry her out of the water and take off all the wet clothes, but she climbed right back in the second I let go of her! It was a riot. Who am I to say no to her own personal spa day?

The big kids loved this activity as well. They loved scooping and squeezing the water out of the pom poms, pouring and overflowing the cups, and pretending to serve each other different foods based on the color of them pom poms they collected at the moment. It allowed for some great fine motor skill practice for the younger ones, a sensory experience for all of them, and some breathing room for me!

Ellette still has days where she could be confused for a barnacle attached to me at all moments, so although I am trying to appreciate the feeling of being needed, I do still need a little space so I’m not completely touched out by the end of the day. Any activity that occupies all of the kids and frees up my lap for a few minutes is sometimes the only thing I need. But also, by 8pm you can find me scrolling through pictures on my phone and tearing up at their gummy smiles and hilarious attempts at crawling for the first time. Please tell me I’m not alone in this!

For some reason, the lemon juicer is one of the favorite kitchen items in our house. All of the kids love it, and not just for sensory play. All of them have independently liked it between 1-2 years of age and carry it around with them during that time period. While I do squeeze the occasional citrus fruit, I definitely don’t use it enough that it makes sense for them to all love it as much as they do.

This activity is so simple, yet will occupy your child for a long time! Because Ellette is still a little unpredictable, I continue to supervise her with any activity that involves standing water. I feel much more confident that my older kids will not end up with their heads stuck in the sensory bin, but I’m not quite there yet with Ellette. Do what feels right for your family.

I can’t wait for you to try this one at home. Don’t forget to send this activity to a friend! I know I very much appreciated when friends sent me easy activities for the kids, especially when I had a new baby at home. Your friend will thank you for this simple idea!

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