Looking for a fun new sensory bin idea for your child? This frog spawn sensory bin is taste-safe, simple to prep, and offers a unique combination of textures that is perfect for sensory seekers!
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If your child is tired of doing the same old activities, this simple sensory bin idea is a great way to shake things up! It may look fancy, but it’s actually really easy to set up, and it offers a variety of different textural elements that are sure to keep your child’s attention.
Add some spooky accessories to turn this activity into a creepy Halloween sensory bin, or use it as part of your study unit on frogs. There are lots of fun ways to switch it up and make it your own!
Why You’ll Love This Activity
- Varied textures: We used (frozen) basil seeds, water, rocks, glass gems and various pond-themed accessories to give this sensory bin a variety of different textural elements.
- Customizable: I shared the materials I used below, but they are just suggestions—there are so many different ways to customize this activity to make it perfect for your child!
- Simple to prep: You’ll only need a few simple supplies to get this sensory bin set up, and because it uses basil seeds rather than chia seeds, the soaking time is only 15 minutes, which means you don’t need to start prepping the day before.
- Safe to taste: The most important components of this sensory bin—basil seeds and water—are free of choking hazards, and safe for younger kids who still like to put everything in their mouths. With just a few simple tweaks, this sensory bin would be perfect for toddlers!
Looking for more fun activities for kids? Check out this Jell-O Toy Dig, these 2-Ingredient Sensory Recipes or this big list of Taste-Safe Sensory Play Ideas!
Required Materials
- Basil seeds: I used edible basil seeds, which are safe to eat and can swell to several times their size when soaked in water. I find that basil seeds are the best option for this activity because they are quick to soak up liquid and look similar to frog eggs, but if you can’t find any, you can use black chia seeds instead and let them soak overnight.
- Water: Tap water is fine. If you need this activity to be taste-safe, make sure the water you use is safe to drink.
- Ice cube tray: Plastic and silicone will both work. The tray I used fit about 2 tablespoons per cavity, which worked out perfectly.
- Food coloring: I used a combination of blue and green. If you’re not a fan of synthetic dyes, you can skip the coloring or use one of these natural food dye alternatives.
- Fake frogs: I bought a set of cheap plastic frogs from Amazon specifically for this sensory bin. (I’m sure we’ll find other uses for them!)
- Pond accessories: The exact accessories you use will depend on the age of your children and whether you need this activity to be taste-safe. I used some rocks I found outside (which I thoroughly cleaned), some clear glass gems from the dollar store and some artificial lily pads. You can also use real of fake grass, real or fake flowers, small plastic bugs, DIY edible water beads, or anything else you think might be fun!
The full supply list and instructions can be found in the how-to card.
How to Make a Frog Pond Sensory Bin (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Soak basil seeds. Stir 1 tbsp of basil seeds into ⅓ cup of water, and let them soak for about 15 minutes, until they are thick and slimy, and have grown to multiple times their original size. (If using chia seeds, you’ll need to let them soak for at least 4 hours.)
Step 2: Freeze basil seeds (optional). If you wish to create solid blocks of “frog eggs” for your sensory bin, scoop the hydrated basil seeds into the cavities of an ice cube tray and place them in the freezer for 1-2 hours, until you’re able to easily pop them out.
Step 3: Add coloring to water (optional). Cover the bottom of a bin with water and add a few drops of blue and green food coloring, stirring with a spoon to disperse it throughout.
Step 4: Assemble sensory bin. Once the cubes of basil seeds have finished freezing, assemble your sensory bin by arranging the “frog eggs” and accessories on the bottom of the bin.
My kids had so much fun with this sensory bin! The variety of textures and accessories meant there were lots of ways for them to play. We especially loved the way the texture of the “frog eggs” changed as the cubes thawed.
Helpful Tips
- Wash any items found outside: Using rocks, grass or flowers that you collected outdoors? Make sure you wash them thoroughly before adding them to the sensory bin, especially if you need it to be taste-safe!
- Play around with the texture: I used 1 tbsp of basil seeds and ⅓ cup of water because I liked the thicker consistency it gave the “frog eggs”, but feel free to experiment with the quantities! If you prefer, you can also skip step 2 and simply scoop the room temperature basil seeds straight into the bin. (Make sure not to add too much water, as the seeds will spread.)
- Don’t over-freeze the basil seeds: If you do choose to freeze the basil seeds, I don’t recommend leaving them in the freezer for longer than 2 hours. They have a less interesting texture when frozen, so you’ll want to freeze them just long enough to pop them out of the ice cube tray, but not so long that they’ll take forever to thaw during play.
- Adapt it for various age groups: If you have young children at home, you can easy adapt this activity to make it appropriate for them! Simply skip any items that could be dangerous or unhygienic, like glass gems or rocks, and replace them with taste-safe items (e.g. edible water beads) and/or larger items that don’t pose a choking hazard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question that wasn’t answered here? Let me know in the comments and I’ll be happy to help!
More Sensory Bin Ideas for Kids
If you have tried this Frog Spawn Sensory Bin or any other project on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below. I can’t wait to hear from you!
Frog Spawn Sensory Bin
Materials
- 1 tbsp edible basil seeds
- ⅓ cup water more as needed to cover the bottom of the sensory bin
- 1 ice cube tray optional
- 1 large plastic bin
- green and blue food coloring optional, as needed
- fake frogs
- pond accessories (e.g. rocks, glass gems, artificial lily pads, real or fake grass, real of fake flowers)
Instructions
- Stir the basil seeds into ⅓ cup of water, and let them soak for about 15 minutes, until they are thick and slimy, and have grown to multiple times their original size.
- If you wish to create solid blocks of “frog eggs” for your sensory bin, scoop the hydrated basil seeds into the cavities of an ice cube tray and place them in the freezer for 1-2 hours, until you’re able to easily pop them out.
- Cover the bottom of the plastic bin with water and add a few drops of blue and green coloring, stirring with a spoon to disperse it throughout.
- Once the cubes of basil seeds have finished freezing, assemble your sensory bin by arranging the “frog eggs” and accessories on the bottom of the bin.
Video
Notes
- Wash items found outside: If using rocks or grass from outside, make sure to wash them thoroughly before adding them to your sensory bin.
- Adjust the texture: Try experiment with different ratios of basil seeds and water, or keeping them at room temperature and letting them float in the water at the bottom of the bin.
- Don’t over-freeze the basil seeds: To allow the basil seeds a chance to thaw during play, leave them in the freezer for just long enough to be able to pop them out, or no longer than 2 hours.
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