19 St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bin Ideas for Toddlers
I’ll never forget the first time I introduced my kids to sensory bins. My oldest, then two, dove right in with both hands, giggling as she scooped and poured. My middle child, the meticulous one, carefully sorted every tiny object by color. And my youngest? Well, he thought the whole thing was a snack.
As a mom of three, I’ve learned that sensory bins are the secret weapon for keeping little hands busy, especially on holidays like St. Patrick’s Day! These bins engage the senses, encourage creativity, and offer a bit of magical fun. So grab some green, gold, and rainbow-colored goodies, and let’s dive into 19 St. Patrick’s Day sensory bin ideas your toddler will love!
1. Lucky Charms Sorting Bin
Use a box of Lucky Charms cereal and let your toddler sort marshmallows by shape or color. (And yes, sneaking a few bites is part of the fun!)
2. Rainbow Rice Treasure Hunt
Dye rice in rainbow colors, hide gold coins or small shamrock toys, and let your little one dig for treasure.
3. Gold Coin Dig
Fill a bin with black beans (to mimic a pot of gold) and hide plastic gold coins for a mini treasure hunt.
4. Shamrock Water Play
Use green-tinted water, floating shamrocks, and small cups for pouring and scooping fun.
5. Green Play Dough Sensory Bin
Set up a bin with green play dough, rolling pins, shamrock cookie cutters, and gold beads to squish and mold.
6. Pom-Pom Rainbow Bin
Fill a bin with colorful pom-poms and let your toddler sort by color or use tweezers for fine motor practice.
7. Oatmeal “Gold Mine”
Use dry oats as the base and hide gold coins, mini leprechaun hats, or small St. Patrick’s Day toys.
8. Shaving Cream Clover Hunt
Spread green-tinted shaving cream in a bin and hide small clovers for a messy, squishy sensory experience.
9. Green Gelatin Dig
Make a bin of green gelatin and hide small treasures inside for a wiggly, jiggly surprise.
10. Leprechaun Hat Stacking Bin
Use mini leprechaun hats (dollar store finds!) for stacking, sorting, and balancing fun.
11. Rainbow Water Beads Bin
Hydrate rainbow-colored water beads for a soft, bouncy sensory experience.
12. Gold and Green Sensory Bin
Fill a bin with green and gold items—beads, fabric scraps, ribbons, and textured objects for exploration.
13. Clover Ice Excavation
Freeze small shamrock trinkets in ice cubes and let your toddler use warm water and droppers to melt them free.
14. Cornmeal “Gold Dust” Bin
Cornmeal makes a fantastic sand-like texture. Add gold coins and let your little miner dig away!
15. Rainbow Spaghetti Bin
Cook spaghetti, dye it in different colors, and let your toddler squish, pull, and play with the rainbow noodles.
16. St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bottles
Fill small plastic bottles with green glitter, water, and small floating objects for a calming sensory experience.
17. Leprechaun Potion Bin
Set up a bin with baking soda, vinegar, and green food coloring for fizzy, bubbly magic.
18. Cotton Ball “Cloud” Bin
Use cotton balls to represent fluffy clouds and hide rainbow-colored objects inside for a soft-touch sensory experience.
19. Green Slime Treasure Hunt
Make a bin of green slime and hide tiny treasures for your toddler to squish and search for.
Check out this saint patricks day slime recipe that is the best for this kind of thing.
Sensory bins are a great way to bring the magic of St. Patrick’s Day to life for little ones. Whether they love to dig, squish, pour, or scoop, there’s something here for every toddler’s curiosity. So, grab a bin, toss in some green and gold, and let the St. Paddy’s Day fun begin!
What’s your little one’s favorite sensory bin idea? Share in the comments!
