28+ Fun Summer Sensory Bins & Activities for Kids
This fun roundup of summer sensory bins and activities is packed with fun ideas for kids at home. Whether you’ve got toddlers splashing in water bins or preschoolers scooping sand and shells, these hands-on ideas are perfect for keeping little ones learning and laughing all summer long.
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From water play to nature walks and everything in between, we’ve rounded up 28+ summer sensory activities that are super simple to set up and tons of fun. Whether you’re at home or outside soaking up the sun, these ideas will keep little hands (and minds) busy all season long!
Be sure to also see our 23+ Fun Nature-Inspired Sensory Activities for Kids and these 27+ Easy and Fun Summer Crafts for Toddlers & Preschool.
🌟Don’t Leave Before You Check Out These Fun Ideas!🌟
Aloha Fun! Tropical Sensory Bin Kids Will Love
Bring the beach vibes inside with this tropical-themed sensory bin!
Perfect for those sweltering summer afternoons, this hands-on activity keeps toddlers and preschoolers entertained for hours. It’s also a fun way to explore ocean themes without ever leaving the house.
Fluffy Lemon Cloud Dough (2 Ingredients)
Whip up the fluffiest cloud dough in minutes!
With just two simple, taste-safe ingredients, this recipe is perfect for little hands and big imaginations. No baking, no fuss—just soft, squishy fun that makes an awesome indoor sensory activity for kids!
Super Fun DIY Aquarium Sensory Bin Idea
Make a splash with this easy DIY aquarium sensory bin!
It’s a fun-filled way to explore ocean life while keeping little hands busy. Toddlers and preschoolers will love pretending they’re deep under the sea as they discover fish, shells, and more—plus, it’s a breeze to put together and packed with learning fun!
Easy DIY Car Wash Sensory Table for Preschool
Got a kiddo who’s obsessed with cars and splashing water?
This DIY car wash sensory table is the ultimate combo of pretend play and sensory fun. Whether you set it up indoors or outside, it’s a fantastic way to keep little ones engaged while they scrub, rinse, and roll their toy vehicles through a bubbly good time!
5 Ingredient Homemade Playdough (No Cook Recipe)
Make your own soft and squishy playdough in no time!
This quick and easy recipe uses simple, taste-safe ingredients—no baking or cream of tartar needed. It’s the perfect DIY for mess-free sensory fun anytime!
Homemade Cloud Dough Ice Cream Sensory Bin
Beat summer boredom with a scoop of sensory fun!
This DIY cloud dough ice cream bin is a sweet way to keep little hands busy. It’s quick to set up, irresistibly fun to play with, and just the right amount of messy to make it a toddler and preschooler favorite.
Fun Seashell Sensory Bin for Preschoolers & Toddlers (Great for Ocean Themes)
Bring the beach to your backyard (or playroom) with this seashell sensory bin!
It’s a fun and easy way to keep toddlers and preschoolers entertained while sneaking in a little sensory learning. Whether you’re diving into an ocean theme or just need a simple summer activity, this bin is a shell-tastic choice!
Easy DIY Beach Sensory Bin for Kids
No beach? No problem!
This DIY beach sensory bin brings all the sandy, seaside vibes right to your living room. Perfect for sparking your little one’s imagination, it’s a simple setup that promises hours of hands-on fun—rain or shine!
Cheap & Easy Ice Cream Sensory Bin (Great for Summer!)
Scoop up some summer fun with this ice cream sensory bin!
It’s a cool and creative way to keep kids busy with hands-on play. Using just a few simple materials, this sweet activity is easy to put together and sure to keep toddlers and preschoolers smiling all day long.
Easy Ice Cream Shop by Simply Full of Delight
An ice cream shop is a fantastic way to blend sensory play with imaginative fun for kids. Use moon sand as the base. It’s easily scoopable, making it ideal for pretend ice cream creations.
Free Printable Summer Play Dough Mats by The Artisan Life
Play dough has been a beloved sensory activity long before the term “sensory play” was widely recognized. These printable play dough mats encourage kids to create a variety of fun, summer-themed items using their imagination and hands-on skills.
How To Make A Summer Sensory Bin by Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool
Create a vibrant summer sensory bin for kindergarteners with DIY popsicles featuring uppercase and lowercase letters. This fun activity helps develop letter recognition skills through hands-on play.
Lemonade Sensory Bin by Two Pink Peonies
A lemonade sensory bin is just perfect for summer sensory play. Plus, using bright yellow-dyed rice as the filler makes it look so appealing.
Nature Ice Sensory Play by The Mindful Toddler
Sensory activities don’t have to be big and complicated to be beneficial. Freeze some flowers overnight in an ice tray, and let the kids play with the ice cubes. They appeal to sight and touch, and they are a great way to keep cool when it gets hot outside.
Taste Safe Jelly Beach Sensory Play by Finding Myself Young
One thing to watch out for with sensory play is that younger kids might want to explore their sense of taste as well. That’s why taste-safe sensory bins, like this beach scene, are always a welcome option.
Swim-Themed Summer Playdough Invitation by Barley & Birch
Make some cute little paper people playing in a paper pool, and this sensory activity is ready to go! Give the kids a variety of play dough, and challenge them to make all the various accessories that the paper people need for a pool day.
Letter Matching Seashell Sensory Bin by Natural Beach Living
Kids love to dig through the sand, especially to look for seashells. Bury paired sets of shells with the capital and lowercase versions of several letters on them, and challenge kids to find and match all the pairs.
Ocean Sensory Bag by A Little Pinch of Perfect
This summer sensory idea is so simple, yet so brilliant. Fill a zipper bag with water, food coloring, and sea creature toys. Kids can squish, swirl, and scoot the animals around without making a mess.
Busy Boats Sensory Bin with Water Beads by Attachment Mummy
Water bins are always a great option for sensory play in the summer, but just filling a bin with water can be a bit underwhelming. Add in water beads to this boat bin for an extra punch of sensory fun.
4th of July Sensory Bin by The Mindful Toddler
Celebrate Independence Day with a fun July 4th sensory bin filled with white play dough, star-shaped cookie cutters, and red, white, and blue beads and buttons. Add small objects in patriotic colors for an engaging hands-on activity.
Shark Sensory Bin by Living Life & Learning
Honestly, a bunch of plastic shark toys is enough to keep most kids engaged for quite some time. But add in some white, green, and blue water beads and it becomes a sensory ocean for the sharks to swim around in.
Summer Sensory Bin by Messy Little Monster
Give kids the fun of beach digging without the mess or long trip by creating this sensory bin. Use kinetic sand with various tools, scoopers, and utensils for endless sensory play.
Frozen Ocean Sensory Fun by Simple Everyday Mom
Here’s another bin loaded with water beads and seashells, but it has a twist. A frozen ball of ocean toys is in the middle, and kids get to thaw it out with a water dropper.
Sensory Animal Washing Station by Lorena & Lennox
This easy and fun summer sensory activity will keep kids entertained for hours. Set up three bins—a dirty station with sand or dirt, a bath station for washing, and a clean station for drying. Kids can get their animals or dinosaurs messy, clean them up, and let them dry.
DIY Feed the Shark Sensory Bag by Kids Activities Blog
Try this summer sensory bag with an exciting twist. It’s filled with fish and a shark! Kids can move the bag around to make the shark chase the fish for endless interactive fun.
Ice Block Treasure Hunt by Kids Activity Zone
This simple and budget-friendly sensory activity is sure to be a hit. Freeze a bunch of inexpensive plastic toys in a foil pan overnight, then challenge kids to release them by melting the ice or breaking it apart.
Sand Playdough Recipe by Mess for Less
Sand play dough is a captivating sensory material that kids will love. This DIY sand dough mimics the texture of real sand while staying nearly mess-free.
20 Fun Things to Freeze in Ice Blocks by Picklebums
This post focuses on ice play, making it ideal for a hot summer day. There are plenty of fun ideas for freezing items into ice balls, then letting kids have a blast releasing them.
Tropical Island Small World and Sensory Bin by Taming Little Monsters
This tropical island small world bin is a fantastic idea. Create an island in the water where toys can play, complete with sharks for added fun.
I hope these summer sensory activities bring as much joy (and maybe a little mess!) to your home or classroom as they have to ours. Whether you’re splashing, squishing, or exploring new textures, the most important thing is that your little ones are learning through play—and making sweet summer memories along the way.
