Grinch Sensory Bin

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This Grinch Sensory Bin is a fun way to bring some Christmas cheer into your winter sensory play, with a heart hunt twist that kids of all ages will love. Hiding felt hearts under a sea of green split peas and fluffy pom poms gives toddlers and preschoolers a hands on reason to dig, scoop, and search, all while celebrating one of the season’s favorite grumpy green characters.

It’s simple to set up, easy to reuse, and gives kids a sensory rich activity that ties in counting, sorting, and a whole lot of holiday fun.

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What You Need for a Grinch Sensory Bin

• Dried green split peas, to create the soft, textured base
• Green pom poms in two shades, for added color contrast and fluffy texture
• Felt hearts in three different sizes, to hide and hunt for
• A small scoop, spoon, or tongs, for digging and fine motor practice
• A sensory bin or shallow tray, to hold everything

How to Set Up This Winter Sensory Activity

1. Pour the dried green split peas into your sensory bin or shallow tray to form the base layer.
2. Scatter both shades of green pom poms throughout the peas so they’re mixed in rather than sitting on top.

3. Tuck the felt hearts down under the layers of peas and pom poms so they aren’t visible right away.

4. Set a small scoop, spoon, or tongs next to the bin so kids have a tool ready to go.

5. Give the peas a gentle mix before your toddler or preschooler dives in, just to make sure the hearts are well hidden.
6. Invite your child over and let them know there are hidden hearts waiting to be found.

Ways to Play This Winter Sensory Bin

• Dig through the peas with hands or a scoop to search for hidden felt hearts
• Count each heart as it’s found and keep a running tally
• Sort the hearts by size once they’re all collected
• Use tongs to practice a pincer grip while lifting hearts out of the peas
• Time how fast they can find every heart, like helping the Grinch’s heart grow three sizes
• Bury the hearts again and take turns hiding them for a sibling or friend to find

Skills Kids Build in This Winter Sensory Play

• Fine motor skills, strengthened through scooping, grasping, and pinching small felt hearts
• Counting and early math, practiced as kids tally up how many hearts they’ve uncovered
• Sorting and categorizing, built by grouping hearts into small, medium, and large
• Focus and patience, developed while carefully searching through the peas
• Sensory exploration, as kids experience the contrast between smooth peas and soft pom poms

Tips and Variations

• For babies and younger toddlers, swap the split peas for a taste safe filler and supervise closely since small parts are a choking hazard
• Give older kids tongs or a small scoop for an added fine motor challenge
• Add small bells or jingle ornaments for an extra layer of sound and texture
• Swap the felt hearts for small Christmas ornaments or candy canes to mix things up
• Lay a towel or sheet under the bin to make stray peas easier to clean up

Clean Up and Storage for Your Grinch Sensory Bin

• Scoop the peas and pom poms back into a lidded container or large zip bag for next time
• Shake out felt hearts separately so they stay dry and ready to reuse
• Store the full bin in a closet or under a bed since it takes up very little space
• Vacuum or sweep up stray peas right away so they don’t end up underfoot

More Fun Sensory Bin Ideas

If this one was a hit, you’ll find plenty more inspiration on our blog, including the Pom Pom Ice Cream Sensory Bin and the Jelly Bean Sensory Bin. For tips on picking the best materials for any bin, check out our guide to sensory bin fillers.

This Grinch Sensory Bin is a sweet, simple way to add some hands on holiday fun to your winter routine. Give it a try and watch your toddler’s heart grow three sizes with excitement.