Erica Becker 
My son is obsessed with anything that goes “vroom vroom!” My husband and I tell anyone who is looking to get him a gift, to look no further than a 5 pack of Hot Wheels or a Tonka truck. I wanted a fun and creative way for him to play with his toy vehicles (besides using Mama’s arm as a racetrack) so I decided to set up his own construction site with a sensory bin filled with oatmeal “sand.”
You may be asking yourself, what is a sensory bin? A sensory bin is a large container or tub filled with an array of materials to help stimulate your child’s senses! You can fill a container with dry rice or pasta, water beads, poms poms, or my personal favorite, oatmeal “sand.” I like using oatmeal because it offers a different texture, and in my personal opinion, it cleans up easier than traditional sand. Although I don’t encourage him to eat this, I don’t have to worry if some ends up in his mouth. It’s fun to assign a theme to your sensory bin, and I thought my son’s toy construction vehicles were perfect for scooping and pouring, making this a theme he would dig!
How to Set Up
Sensory bins can help a child learn a bundle of life skills like language development, fine motor skills, imaginative play, creativity, and mathematic skills like volume and capacity. I also find them to be incredibly calming, because they become so focused on all the new skills they’re learning.
What are some fun sensory bins you think your child would enjoy? Get creative and have some fun! Also, invest in a good vacuum cleaner. 😀
I love this idea! Always trying to think of fun and safe ways to do sensory play! I’ve tried it with saltine crackers but haven’t tried oatmeal. Going to try this tomorrow!