New Year's

Chinese New Year Chickpea-based Bin

January 19, 2025 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Every January since I started this blog, making a sensory bin with the zodiac animal of the year’s Chinese New Year celebration has been a tradition. The 2025 zodiac animal is a snake, and it was super fun including snakes in a Chinese New Year chickpea-based bin.

This year’s Chinese New Year celebration starts on January 29, and the date marks the beginning of a Year of the Snake. The slithering reptile is the sixth of 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac, coming after the dragon and before the horse. People born in a Year of the Snake are thought to be intelligent, passionate, intuitive, diligent, creative, competent, and wise.

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Chinese New Year 2025 Sensory Bin Supplies

Early learners absolutely love sensory activities and get a sampling of the 2025 Chinese New Year celebration by exploring this red and gold chickpea bin with a few color-coordinating snakes set in.

The following supplies are in the festive bin:

dried chickpeas
gold play coins
ingot bowl
gold garland bits
red dessert cups and spoons
gold bells
gold buttons
snake figurines

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning activities.

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The Chinese New Year Chickpea-based Bin

Dried chickpeas dyed in various amounts of red acrylic paint are the base for this simple Lunar New Year bin. For easy instructions detailing how to dye chickpeas, view my blogpost “Chinese New Year Sensory Play. “

A food service bus tub holds the chickpeas and other supplies nicely and allows two or three children to investigate the bin together.

A pair of nesting ingot bowls with oval lids was a new find, and I chose the smaller one for the bin. Its unique boat shape and shiny gold finish add interest.

Fun facts: In ancient Chinese culture, ingot bowls were made of gold or silver, and were used as currency. Today they symbolize wealth and hope for prosperity. The glamourous bowls are displayed in festival décor and are sometimes filled with candy, chocolate, or fruit.

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Gold play coins, buttons, bells, and garland bits are loose parts that complement the New Year’s theme.

Red snack cups and spoons give opportunities to scoop and pour, always a favorite activity of young children.

Various-sized red and yellow snake figurines are highlights of the Chinese New Year chickpea-based bin. Children love to use them in hands-on investigative activities.

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More Chinese Zodiac Sensory Bins

Year Of The Rat Sensory Bin

Year Of The Ox Sensory Bin

Year Of The Tiger Sensory Bin

Year Of The Rabbit Sensory Bin

Year Of The Dragon Sensory Bins

Year Of The Pig Sensory Bin

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[Read more…]

New Year’s Rice Bin

December 27, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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A sensory bin is one of the easiest ways to usher in a new theme, and this new year’s rice bin does just that. I have this gold and silver-laden bin waiting for my preschoolers to explore when they return from their Christmas break next week.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies In The Bin

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The following supplies are in the glitzy bin:

gold and silver wrapped foam mini presents
silver star-shaped dessert cups
tiny gold trophies
gold play coins
silver beads
gold clip tree decorations
gold spoon
silver bell ornament

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New Year’s Rice Bin

As with many of my sensory activities on the blog, a white bus tub is the bin of choice. It is large enough for two or three children to explore comfortably and doesn’t require an exorbitant amount of sensory base.

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White glutinous rice is the base for the bin, another one of my favorite sensory supplies.

Scooping and pouring rice using the tiny gold trophies and silver star-shaped dessert cups develops eye-hand coordination.

Little learners can gather and count the gold coins.

Gold clip tree decorations and silver beads (cut from a garland) add glitz to the bin.

Spoons are a basic accessory my preschoolers always want to be included in a sensory bin.

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The silver bell is not just a plain bell. It is shaped like an octopus. To see how it is made, view my blog post Octopus Christmas Craft. There is a free template to download should you decide to make an octopus-themed bell to help ring in the new year.

Happy New Year!

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More New Year’s Activities

New Year’s Eve Sensory Tray

New Year’s All Gold Sensory Activity

New Year’s Countdown Activities

New Year’s Crafts

New Year’s Sensory Tray

New Year’s Art and Math Activities

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[Read more…]

Chinese New Year Pretend Play

January 20, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Little learners will love to explore this Chinese New Year tablescape set up filled with Asian artifacts and red and gold loose parts.

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This Chinese New Year pretend play invitation features Asian artifacts and decorations. Little learners will love exploring the unique items and will learn about Asian culture.

Chinese New Year, also called the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is an important celebration held in late January or early February in China. Many other East Asian countries, as well as Chinese people around the world, celebrate the holiday too.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more ideas.

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Chinese New Year Pretend Play Supplies

A Chinese New Year tablescape filled with Asian artifacts and red and gold loose parts for little learners to explore.

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The following red and gold Asian-themed supplies are featured in the pretend play tablescape:

wicker decorations and hat
gold serving bowl
chopsticks
red bowls
gold glitter cups
tiny cups with calligraphy
candy decorations
fish ornament
play food fish
gold garland “noodles”
game chip “play food”
tin ornament candies
coin purse
money envelopes
small tins
vase with artificial cherry blossom branch
gold coins
lion string puppet
fabric ornaments with tassels
plaque with Chinese calligraphy
red tablecloth

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Chinese New Year Pretend Play

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In setting up the dinner table play invitation, I used artifacts collected long ago, supplies available in stores around Chinese New Year, and red and gold loose parts.

Bowls and chopsticks are important pieces, as they are commonly found in Asian tableware.

Fish is a traditional New Year’s dish and is equated with an increase in prosperity.

The gold bead garland strips represent longevity noodles: long, uncut noodles that symbolize a long life.

A coin purse and money envelopes are ready for coins to be added.

And a lion string puppet is poised for the lion dance.

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More Chinese New Year Play Inspiration

This pretend play invitation is bound to engage little learners. For more Chinese New Year play ideas or to host a vibrant party, view the blog post “How To Throw A Stellar Lunar New Year Party” by So Fort Worth It. The post showcases a host of decorating and activity ideas that can be adapted for little learners.

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Chinese New Year Money Tree Activities

Chinese New Year (Year Of The Rabbit) Rice Bin

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[Read more…]

Chinese New Year Chickpea Bin

January 16, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Chinese New Year begins is on February 1, 2022, and it will be the Year Of The Tiger. And so the feature creature in this year’s Chinese New Year chickpea bin is a tiger! The no-fuss bin is easy to put together and has a pop of blue in addition to the traditional red and gold hues.

The tiger is the third animal in the Chinese zodiac, and the 2022 big cat is a water tiger. Qualities associated with the water tiger are being sociable, easy-going, goal-oriented, hardworking, brave, smart, musical, artistic, and low maintenance.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Chinese New Year Chickpea Bin Supplies

This Chinese New Year chickpea-based sensory bin represents the year of the tiger.

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The chosen bin is a round white metal tray with a blue rim.

The base ingredient is dyed dried chickpeas. Aside from chickpeas, the items in the bin are:

tiger figurine
red bowl and chopsticks
tiny red cups
metal tin
gold garland strands
acrylic diamond gems
gold buttons and metal stars
calligraphy game pieces
gold play coins

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Year Of The Tiger Chickpea Bin

This chickpea-based sensory bin has a "Year Of The Tiger" Chinese New Year theme.

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The majority of chickpeas are dyed in varying amounts of red acrylic craft paint. Some are transformed into turquoise and blue. Instructions to easily dye these chunky legumes are in my post “Chinese New Year Sensory Play.”

The blue chickpeas are formed into a winding river running through the center of the bin, and the red-infused chickpeas are generously sprinkled around it.

The tiger is positioned on the river.

The rest of the loose parts are spread around the bin.

Little learners are bound to enjoy playing with the tiger. The flashy cat will stand out on the river but be camouflaged in the red-toned chickpeas.

The tiger is center stage in this "Year Of The Tiger" Chinese New sensory bin.

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To further their interest in this stunning animal, here are some facts to share with your little charges.

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Ten Tiger Facts

Tigers are big cats. Siberian tigers are the largest big cats in the world.
These solitary animals have red-orange or brown-orange coats with black stripes. Their underbellies are white or cream-colored.
Tigers are semiaquatic. Unlike domestic cats, they like water and can swim well. In hot, dry seasons they soak in water to cool off.
The long hind legs of tigers help them jump high and long.
These powerful animals have sharp claws and teeth, great smell, and excellent night vision.
Tigers are carnivorous and can travel hundreds of miles in search of food.
These nocturnal animals are top predators and keep the populations of prey under control.
Tigers are considered endangered. Globally, there are about 4000 tigers left in the wild, and a greater number in zoos.
In China, the Amur tiger, also called the Siberian tiger, lives in a few spots in the northeast.
The South China tiger is now extinct in the wild.

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Related:

Year Of The Pig Sensory Bin (Chinese New Year 2019)

Year Of The Rat Noodle Bin (Chinese New Year 2020)

Year Of The Ox Sensory Tray (Chinese New Year 2021)

Year Of The Rabbit Sensory Bin (Chinese New Year 2023)

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[Read more…]

New Year’s Eve Sensory Tray

December 31, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This New Year’s Eve sensory tray is full of party vibes. It is an inviting loose parts tray to offer at a New Year’s Eve event, or on the first day of class in January. The dinner-themed play invitation is currently ready for my preschoolers to explore when they are back at school next week. I’m excited to see how they use it!

The featured tray is called a “tuff tray”, or “active world tray.” In our country (Canada) they are available to order online at Scholar’s Choice.

My active world tuff tray is a recent addition to my stock of early learning resources, and I love using it.

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Supplies To Collect

New Year's Eve sensory play tray with a party theme.

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To recreate this tray, pick a set of disposable paper New Year’s party plates. Use the colors in the plates to guide the color scheme for the loose parts in the active world tray. My plates are gold, silver, black and white, with metallic touches. I use gold and silver metallic accessories for the tray.

Loose parts to include:

round placemat
disposable cups and cutlery
gift boxes
serving bowls and spoons
tongs
star-shaped containers
strips of bead garland
buttons
play coins
small bells
large ornament bells
present ornaments
balls cut from garland
tiny trophies

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The New Year’s Eve Sensory Tray

Gather loose parts that you have available. Arrange them as a dinner invitation.

New Year's Eve tuff tray filled with dinner-themed loose parts little learners will love to party with.

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Serving containers in a variety of sizes and shapes add appeal and provide options for manipulating loose parts.

Bells are a welcome addition to any sensory activity. There are large bell ornaments and small jingling bells in the tray, offering a musical component.

The featured gift boxes are clear and contain tiny trophies and ornaments. Little learners can explore them and change up the contents. Gold or silver gift boxes would work wonderfully too.

New Year's Eve sensory tray featuring dinnerware, gift boxes, and metallic loose parts.

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Space Kitchen Activity Tray

To extend the sensory experience, switch out the New Year’s dinner plates for tin pie plate ones. The activity tray will become a space-themed play invitation!