Rice Sensory Box

I have been trying to do this for a long time but didn't have the time or money, til now. I bought the rice awhile ago and finally got the bucket. It is a 25 quart plastic bin from Walmart. It cost me $7. I bought a 25 lb bag of rice for around $11. I don't remember where I got it. I put around 20 lbs of rice in the bucket as well as a toy dinosaur, a small ball, some bottle tops and a spoon. I will add a few more small things when I can get to the dollar store. I am also going to make some with beans, sand and pebbles. I'm trying to think of something gooey or swishy to use too but can't think of anything that's not extremely messy. Any ideas?

Sensory boxes are great for all kids but blind and other special needs kids find them particularly cool. The different types of materials are good sensory input. Putting toys in the box allows something for them to find and to practice burying and digging up things.

Elena loves it. She likes to scoop with the big spoon and bury her hands in the rice. She likes to put her feet in it too and feel it with her toes. I'm excited to see how she reacts to the other sensory boxes, once I get them done.

Experiencing different textures is very important. Often, blind children do not like textures. I don't know why. We had Elena touch many different textures since she was about 2 months old so she never really experienced texture aversion. Although she didn't always like her hands being gooey.

So whether you have a sensory box or not, have your child feel anything and everything; the brick on the outside of your house, the bark of a tree, the smooth wall of the living room, the cool metal of the stove, the shaggy bathmat, the ridges of your car tires, the bumpy asphalt driveway/road, etc. There are so many things to find and feel.