insect sensory bin

Insects have captured our imaginations.

We have had numerous snails, spiders, and wood bugs visit our classroom in various containers.

Since the kids seem to have a need to play with bugs, it was time for an insect sensory bin.

This bin was embarrassingly simple to put together.

We started with a chunk of moss (donated by a local forest) and some wood stove pellets.

Animal feed (rabbit?) pellets, or gravel would have worked just as well.  I just happen to have a  hundred pounds of wood pellets in my basement.

Added some drift wood, sticks, an old roots, and some tree blocks. 

A friendly assortment of rocks.

And a bendable stick bridge.  A pet store (rodent section) find that a wonderful colleague told me about. 

Finally, the stars of the bin -- the bugs.  The insects are a combination of dollar store and Toob bugs.  The kids like realistic looking insects, not cutesy ones.  They tell me that they are too grown up and sophisticated for cutesy bugs.

The insect bin is reinvented each time the kids play with it.  

Sometimes the bugs hide in the moss.

Bugs hiding in the pellet mountain.

Bugs ready for attack.

Bugs outside the bin.

"It's a bug fort, Ms Sandi".

Fascinated by insects, or totally freaked out by bugs, this is a super-easy bin to create that won't sting, bite or freak anyone out.

Follow Sandi @ rubber boots and elf shoes's board bugs 'n creepy crawlies on Pinterest.