Treatment Activity: Sensory Bins

Something I have found to be so versatile and fun to use in therapy this year are sensory bins!! I have used sensory bins to target articulation and language. You can purchase premade sensory bins or make your own. Here’s a few ways I have used them:

Articulation therapy: My favorite way to use sensory bins for articulation therapy is to hide laminated picture cards of target words within the bin. I have my student search through the bin and if they are working at word level I have them say the word 5 times and set it to the side. If they are working at the phrase level, I will have them pair the carrier phrase “I found” with the picture card 3-5 times. Lastly, if they are working at the sentence level they get to make 2-3 silly, fun sentences with their target word. This is such a fun and engaging way to target articulation, while still getting lots of productions.

Language therapy: It’s hard to go wrong when targeting language with a sensory bin. For y kiddos that have very specific language goals (prepositions, past/present tense verbs) I love to again hide picture cards in the bin and have them find the pictures. I have several students who are working on pronouns. My favorite way to target pronouns is to use a toy figurine (we use Mickey/Minnie and Blue/Bluey’s dad ALL the time) and object picture cards. The student will find a picture card in the bin and then give it to one of the figurines and I will ask “Who has the ball?” and they will respond “She/He has the ball.”

My students LOVE when they come into the therapy room and see the sensory bins on the tables!!

My favorite sensory bin I have bought premade is found at the link below!

Magical Sand Bin – Wren + Revel

Bella Barrett M.S., CF-SLP