Preschool / September 15, 2022

Apple Tree Sensory Bin (Apple Week)

We’re in the middle of apple week. We’ve already done Apple Labeling and Apple Seeds + Tasting Activities. Today I gave Camden an Apple Tree Sensory Bin to explore and play with. This is one I’ll pull out multiple times in the coming days.

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Prepping the Apple Tree Sensory Bin

Gather the materials you’ll need:

oats or cheerios (if you ever have oats expire, save them for sensory bin filler!)
3 toilet paper tubes
green cardstock or white cardstock + green paint or marker
velcro dots
red/green/yellow pom poms
fine motor tweezers/scoopers/toy wagon
empty bin

Place oats or cheerios in a blender or food processor – I used about 10 cups of cheerios – and pulse them until they are pulverized. Pour them into the bin you’re using for the apple tree sensory bin.

Make the apple trees. Use the green cardstock to cut out 3 tree top shapes.

Glue the trunks to the apple tops.

Attach 6-8 velcro dots on each of the trees. On the 3 toilet paper tubes, write ‘green,’ ‘yellow,’ and ‘red.’

Stand the trees in the sensory bin. Scatter pom poms throughout the bin, and lay the tweezers and grabbers and wagons inside the bin.

Using the Apple Tree Sensory Bin

When I first give Camden a new sensory bin, I give it to him with no expectations and no directions. I just let him play, explore and enjoy.

After he’s played with it for a while, I’ll ask him if I can show him a way to use it. I’ll show him that the trees have color label, and I want him to sort the apples by putting them on the trees. He can use the tweezers to load them in the wagon, ‘drive’ them to the trees and put them up on the tree!

Storing the Apple Tree Sensory Bin

I’ll keep it in the bin for a few weeks, so Camden can play with it whenever he wants. When he seems ready to switch it out for a new one, I’ll store it.

I store all my sensory bins in ziploc bags. I just pour all of the materials into one ziploc bag, label it, and store it with the others. It lets Cam be able to look through all of them whenever he wants to choose one.

I don’t store the tweezers and grabbers in the bag, because I use them for other bins. I just keep them near the sensory bin storage bags, so I can add them in whenever I need them.

Don’t Forget the Book!

We read two books: Apple Picking Day by Candance Ransom and Picking Apples by Margaret McNamera. Both books are short reads about kids who go apple picking at the orchard. You can also check out these 15+ Delicious Apple Themed Books for more ideas!

Because the text is so short, I like to ask Camden to find the word ‘apple’ or the letter ‘a’ on some of the pages. It helps create word and letter recognition.