Need an activity for your little one? The Polar Bear Slide sensory bin is a great option for entertainment and exploration!
Sensory bins are a wonderful tool to have in your arsenal of activities to keep your baby or toddler entertained. Not only are they fun, but they help improve motor skills by encouraging your child to experiment with different textures and discover critical thinking skills .
My eleven year old really enjoyed helping me make this bin. Allowing him to help not only kept him involved but also gave him a chance to learn and explore. 
Disclosure: I write about items, places and activities that I or my family have personally used and try to link those items or similar in my posts. Clicking a link sometimes leads to an affiliate link for which I receive a small compensation. At no point does this increase your costs!
What you will need to make a Polar Bear Slide sensory bin.
All you need is a simple plastic tub like the one pictured below, some arctic toys, blue food coloring, and water!
How to make it.
First, fill the tub 1-2 inches, or approximately one-fourth full. This ensures you have enough water to create a wedge shaped slide, and still have a dry side.
Next, place the tub in the freezer at an angle so that the water freezes onto one side.
Once it is frozen remove the tub from the freezer.
In a small bowl add a few drops of blue food coloring to water and mix. Add just enough of the blue colored water to the side without ice to create a small pool with a beach-like entrance.
Add your arctic toys and watch your little one explore the waters! For older kids you can add toys to the water before freezing. Then let them break the toys free from the ice.
My little one loved the Polar Bear Slide Sensory Bin, but more shocking was how it also kept the interest of my oldest. As the ice melted my oldest would bury the toys under the ice while my youngest used critical thinking to remove them. They sat together sliding the polar bears and penguins down the ice slide and even continued to play once the ice was completely melted.
Don’t want to make your own sensory bin?
There are many sensory bins that are ready to use like the Shape Sensory Bin for babies, or the Exploring Space Bin for older toddlers and kids.
Traveling sensory boards.
Are you traveling or just need sensory play on the go? This sensory travel board is perfect for airplanes, car rides and even restaurants. Our ten month old took this on the plane ride this summer and it kept him busy while we were in the air.
Need other options for sensory play?
Sensory bins are a fun way to encourage sensory play but there are so many other options that also promote exploration and improve motor skills.
Arts and crafts are great for sensory play. From finger painting to play-doh, let your children explore different textures and let their creative side shine. Crayola has some amazing non-toxic, kid friendly arts and craft items that are sure to keep your little one learning and happy.
One response to “Polar Bear Slide Sensory Bin”
Love these ideas! I’m going to use them with my grandchildren