Mini Polar Sensory Bin

The other day I set up a mini Arctic sensory bin for the kids and they had a blast with it! The fake snow and the Arctic animals were highly enjoyed!

Polar sensory bin. A fun winter activity for kids. Plus, a fake snow ice recipe.

My son loves learning about different habitats so I thought it would be neat to make an Arctic sensory bin for him to explore. He was very intrigued by the animals that were in the bin and that led to lots of great discussion about their habitat and how they survive such cold temperatures.

Supplies Needed:

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  • Arctic Toob or Penguins Toob
  • A small bin divided into two sections or two small bins
  • Baking soda
  • Conditioner (any kind will do)
  • Ice cubes
  • Water

Setting Up the Arctic Sensory Bin

  1. I mixed 1 cup of baking soda with several large squirts of conditioner until I reached a snow-like consistency. I recommend adding a little bit of conditioner at a time until you get the consistency you want. I then put it in the freezer for 20-30 mins so it would get cold.
  2. Put several ice cubes in one side of the bin and place the snow on top of them. I had some leftover snow that I added after the kids had played a while.
  3. Add water to the other side of the bin and add a few ice cubes to the water.
  4. Add the Arctic Minis to the bin.

Arctic Sensory Experience

I made this while my kids were napping and when they woke up they were so happy to see a fun sensory on the table for them to play with.

Polar animals sensory bin activity.
Whales in the Arctic Ocean. A fun sensory bin for winter!

Of course, the animals immediately grabbed their attention and they had to look at each one and identify them. My son was surprised to find that the bald eagle can be found in the Arctic habitat.

The snow was also a big hit with both kids! They loved holding it in their hands and squishing it. They sprinkled it over the animals like it was snowing on them and even buried the animals in it.

Penguins in the Arctic. A fun preschool science exploration.

My son noted that the polar bear and the harp seal blended in with the snow and came to the conclusion that they must be white so that they have camouflage. I was very impressed! I love that the figurines led to lots of learning opportunities.

Arctic habitat activity for early childhood education.

The figurines are very small, so I did watch my toddler very closely to make sure she did not place them in her mouth. They are recommended for children 5 and older, so use your best judgement when allowing your children to play with them.

Arctic sensory bin and preschool science activity.

In the interest of full disclosure, I did receive the Arctic Good Luck Minis® free of charge from Safari Ltd®, but all opinions are my own. I am a huge fan of Safari Ltd® products and have purchased many of their products for my kids. They are the perfect addition to sensory bins and other fun learning activities! The Good Luck Minis® collection has over 100 different styles and they are all hand painted, despite being approximately the size of a nickel. They have just released a bunch of new products for 2016 and they are all Safari Ltd® blog!

Here are some related posts I think you will enjoy!

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Ocean Sensory Bin

Earth Sensory Table and Small World