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If you’ve got little kids at home and $10 to spend at Dollar Tree, you can pull together 5 awesome extended play sensory bins—and I’ve got the free printable menus, cards, and friends to go with them!
These bins are super simple to make and perfect for play with multiple kids. Toddlers can jump right into the sensory fun—scooping, squishing, and exploring—while older preschool age kids can enjoy more structured play by following simple “recipes,” checking off ingredient lists, or even inventing their own combinations with the printable menus.
It doesn’t have to be fancy to be fun. Just a few basic supplies, some imagination, and your kids will hopefully be entertained for hours.
These bins are perfect for toddlers and preschoolers, and a great option if you’re looking for low-mess, screen-free, creative fun that encourages fine motor skills and pretend play.
I also created mini laminated menus and order cards to go with each bin. Kids can use them to color, check off items, and hand them off to a sibling or caregiver to “fill their order.”
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🛒 What I Bought at Dollar Tree for $10:
I chose 8 simple craft items that could be mixed and matched to create a variety of play themes:
(I’ve also got them linked on Amazon below… Unfortunately if you need them shipped they’re significantly more expensive.)
- Pastel Pom-Poms
- Play Dough 4 Pack (Blue, Pink, Orange, Green)
- Red Acrylic Gems
- Wooden Beads (Pink, Purple, Green, Yellow, Blue)
- Black River Stones
- White Cotton Balls
- Flowers (Flower Shaped Gems or Small Silk Flowers)
- Green Yarn
⭐ Optional Add-Ons:
Want to take it further? Dollar Tree also sells adorable eraser figurine packs in the following themes:
- Space
- Ocean
- Bugs
- Dinosaurs
- Pets (Dogs & Cats)
- Washable Marker (If you want to laminate and reuse your “Menu” cards)
🌿 Optional Sensory Bin Fillers:
While you can use the items above as the base for your sensory bins, you might also want to add a filler to scoop and dig through. And… while making these kits I Did Not include filler in my base my price, because while I think filler is cool and fun, it’s also flexible and optional. I highly encourage anyone to use what they have, and remember that it doesn’t to be fancy to be engaging and fun for your kids:
- Black Beans
- Pinto Beans
- White Rice (can be dyed)
- Cereal
- Shredded Paper
- Dyed Pasta or Lentils
Important: Always supervise sensory play and skip small fillers like beans if your child still mouths objects.
Click Image to Download and Print
🏠 Don’t Forget the Tools!
Scoops, spoons, and bowls add tons of open-ended play. If you want a ready-made set of beautiful wooden scoops and cups, I offer them in my Etsy shop.
But you definitely don’t need fancy tools to start. Household items work great too:
- Baby spoons
- Bottle caps
- Medicine cups
- Small plastic containers
- Measuring cups
🎨 The 5 Dollar Tree Sensory Bins:
Each bin has downloadable themed cards, a menu, and creature cards your child can use to role play, gather items, and more.
1. Dino Diner
Dollar Tree Items:
- Red gems (Lava Bites)
- River rocks (Dino Eggs)
- Green Yarn (Grass)
- Blue Pom Poms (Water Drops)
- Flowers (Flowers)
Optional:
- Dinosaur erasers
- Washable marker
- Sensory bin filler (I used pinto beans in mine)
Printables to Extend the Play: (Click images to download and Print)
Dino Cafe Menu (Laminate and use a washable marker on it for added fun and use)
Click Image to Download and Print
Dino Order Cards
Click Image to Download and Print
Printable Character Friends
Click Image to Download and Print
2. Ocean Treasure Hunt
Dollar Tree Items:
- Red gems (Gems)
- Green Yarn (Seaweed)
- Blue Pom Poms or Blue Playdough (Water Drops)
- Flowers (Flowers)
- Yellow Wooden Beads (Gold Bars)
Optional:
- Ocean erasers
- Filler (I used a dollar tree lei that I cut apart and it was great for hiding the items)
- Washable Marker
Printables to Extend the Play: (Click images to download and Print)
Ocean Treasure Hunt Menu (Laminate and use a washable marker on it for added fun and use)
Click Image to Download and Print
Treasure Hunt Cards
Click Image to Download and Print
Printable Ocean Friends
Click Image to Download and Print
3. Outer Space “Design Your Planet”
All of my kids loved this one, I was surprised when it pulled in the attention of my older kids who I’d thought had more or less out grown sensory bins. Nope. They all loved designing a planet.
Dollar Tree Items:
- Green and Orange Play Dough (Planet Core or Center)
- Black River stones (Craters)
- Red gems (Volcanos)
- Blue Wooden Beads (Rivers)
- Green Yarn (Wrap around to make Planet Rings)
Optional:
- Space erasers
- Washable Marker
- Filler (Honestly with play dough I wouldn’t recommend filler… I just used it to make a better pictures, though it also probably would have been a lot of fun to squish into the playdough… I just didn’t want to pick all the beans out and I wanted to be able to do this sensory bin again)
Printables to Extend the Play: (Click images to download and Print)
Design Your Planet “Menu” (Laminate and use a washable marker on it for added fun and use)
Click Image to Download and Print
Build a Planet “Recipe Cards”
Click Image to Download and Print
Printable Characters
Click Image to Download and Print
4. Pet Vet Play Bin
Check paws, fluff beds, feed snacks, and heal boo-boos!
Dollar Tree Items:
- Green Yarn (nest/Bed)
- Pom-pom (Sponges to give a bath)
- Pink, Green, Purple Wooden Beads (Medicine)
- River Stones (Paw Soothing)
- Cotton Balls (Pull them apart to make bandages)
- Pink pom-poms or Pink Play dough (Make a toy to help the animal feel better)
Optional:
- Dog/cat erasers
- Bin Filler (I used my bag of Cotton Balls)
- Washable Marker
Printables to Extend the Play: (Click images to download and Print)
Printable “Pet Vet” Care Checklist and Treatment Plan (Laminate and use a washable marker on it for added fun and use)
Click Image to Download and Print
Printable Treatment Plan Cards
Click Image to Download and Print
Printable Animals
Click Image to Download and Print
5. Bug Garden Adventure
Collect bug snacks, garden petals, and more!
Dollar Tree Items:
- Green Yarn (Grass)
- Yellow Pom-pom (Pollen)
- Pink, Green, Purple Wooden Beads (Bug Eggs)
- Flowers (Flowers)
- Cotton Balls (Spider Webs)
Optional:
- Bug erasers
- Bin Filler (I used dyed rice)
- Washable Marker
Printables to Extend the Play: (Click images to download and Print)
Printable “Bug Cafe Menu” (Laminate and use a washable marker on it for added fun and use)
Bug Cafe Order Cards
Printable Bugs
🎉 Sensory Play Doesn’t Have to Be Fancy
With just $10 and a little creativity, you can create a full week of imaginative play. Whether you’re using fancy tools or digging through your kitchen drawers for scoops and caps, the fun is the same.
The key is following your child’s interests, choosing safe materials, and letting them lead the play.
Let me know which bin your kids loved best!
Want more? Comment or message me what kind of sensory bins you’d love to see in my next.
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