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Grab your shredded paper and turn it into a super simple sensory play time building a snowman in the bin or on the floor.
We have all kinds of shredded paper going into the recycling every few months.
I couldn’t help but keep looking at it thinking how fun it would be for my toddler to touch and feel.
Such a great sensory item.
But what could I use it with?
Well, it’s winter now and all I can think of is how fun it would be to squish the paper up and make a snowman!
For A Shredded Paper Snowman Sensory Bin, You’ll Need:
- Shredded white paper
- Large pom poms (or buttons)
- Black & orange felt (or paper)
- Brown & black pipe cleaners
- Wide ribbon (or colorful pipe cleaners)
- 3 paper plates
- Tape (optional)
- Large bin
- Popsicle sticks, chopsticks, or plastic forks
Prepping for Your Shredded Paper Snowman Sensory Bin
Personally I chose to have lots of fun options for building a snowman to extend the sensory bin experience.
But you can also keep it simple!
Just cut shapes out of paper and grab a couple pipe cleaners!
It doesn’t have to be complicated and definitely don’t stress about it.
Like I always say, “go with what you’ve got!”
Substitution Ideas
You can easily find shredded paper from an office if you don’t have it on hand. Crinkled paper stuffing from the gift wrap section of a store will work also!
Use what you have access to for the rest of the supplies.
You can easily make this entirely paper by cutting everything out of paper instead of using Pom Poms, buttons, and felt.
Don’t over think it. Just grab whatever works for you.
Shredded Paper Snowman Sensory Bin
First thing I did was set out the big bin of shredded paper, a tray of snowman building supplies, and 3 paper plates taped together each.
My kids looked at me in total amazement!
And then they went straight to work building their shredded paper snowmen!
Who knew a snowman sensory bin would be so exciting from the start!
I suppose there is something to be said for allowing little kids to grab big handfuls of shredded paper out of a bin and plop it on the floor!
Im sure its quite a freeing experience for these little growing minds and bodies!
Once we had all of the snow (shredded paper) on the paper plates, it was time to start turning it into a sensory snowman!
Charlie, my preschooler, didn’t need any direction.
He went straight to work creating his snowman.
Some of his choices we’re super funny.
Like a fork nose!
We all had some good laughs with that one!
Maisie, my toddler, needed a little more direction.
I took time with her to ask her questions to help guide her in building the snowman.
Encourage Toddlers with Simple Questions:
- “What do you think would make a good nose for your snowman?”
- “Charlie added buttons, are you going to add buttons?”
- “What kind of arms does your snowman want to have?”
Charlie was a big help also.
Maisie would pause and watch her big brother add something to his shredded paper snowman and then she would grab something from the bin to add it to hers too.
Sometimes Charlie would make suggestions for Maisie also.
Charlie got to the point where he completed his masterpiece and he was done.
They were both very proud of their shredded paper snowmen!
I love it when an activity can last more than 5 minutes.
Anything over 15 minutes is a win in my books!
Keep it Inside the Bin: Shredded Paper Sensory Snowman Variation
If you don’t like messes or are dealing with carpet, try this variation of sensory play and make the snowman inside the bin!
Maisie, who is 2 years old, wanted to make more!
So we moved on to the original idea I had in mind, the shredded paper sensory snowman bin.
We simply used the shredded paper and small parts and built a variety of snowmen in the big bin.
Maisie had so much fun with the sensory experience of the shredded paper, and she created all kind of snowmen variations in her big bin.
We changed it up and experimented with different ideas.
We made some silly ones too!
And we also played with the shredded paper in the bin on its own with a fork too!
In classic toddler style.
At this point my toddler was happily occupied for quite a while with her snowman sensory bin.
And I just got to sit for a bit and watch the fun happen.
A mom break is always a good bonus.
Keep it Out and Come Back to It!
My kids begged me not to put this activity away and let them keep playing with it all day.
For me that is a clear sign that this was an all-around great experience for them.
I gave them both another half hour of free play with their snowman sensory bin.
And then I chose to decrease it and contain the mess a little.
I left out the sensory bin and small parts, but chose to sweep up the excess shredded paper from the floor.
I have to say, I have done many sensory bins with my kids.
But the shredded paper was by far my easiest and fasted clean up!
Both kids went back to this a few times throughout the afternoon.
After taking away the paper plates I actually found this activity to be basically mess free.
I also was able to slip the shredded paper right into my recycle bin after taking the snowman decorations out.
No waste!
Go ahead and try this simple shredded paper sensory snowman bin with your kids!
Make it a big experience, or keep it minimal. Either way, you won regret it!
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