Sensory Bin / Discovery Box: Valentine's Day Hearts

A bit out of season, but this was one of my most popular sensory boxes and got regular daily play through the whole month.    

Included in the Valentine's box were 2 lined baskets, a couple of packs of plastic hearts, a pack of painted wooden hearts, a pack of red plastic jewels, some red wire balls and a couple of stray Christmas decorations.  The containers are small wooden bowls and an empty red bucket.  There are metal scoops in each of the baskets and a large pair of wooden tweezers and a small pair of tongs.

To extend the play I firstly added a mirror.

The following week I added a treasure chest.

I found the children used this in very different ways.  The younger ones enjoyed the sensory experience - running their hands though the hearts, listening to the different materials rattle in the the different containers, transferring and transporting using all the items.  

The older children used the materials for sorting and imaginative play - setting up shops and kitchens.  

Can't wait to use this one again!