mice

This fall forest sensory bin is inspired by a tiny mouse that snuck indoors. The unexpected discovery led to the question: “Can mice survive outdoors in the fall as the weather turns colder?” The answer is “yes”!

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Although mice will happily seek shelter indoors when the weather cools, they are perfectly capable of surviving outside during the fall and winter months. In the forest, they build nests in sheltered spots such as logs, under tree roots, and underground burrows. They also dig elaborate condo-like tunnels underground, with a pantry, bedroom, living room, and latrine.

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In autumn, the quick little rodents get very busy finding nuts, seeds, and berries to store for winter. This involves many trips to and from food sources. Along with growing thicker fur, the focused, energetic activity helps keep them warm.

This leafy sensory bin with soft late fall hues features a bunch of scurrying mice in a forest environment.

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Fall Forest Sensory Bin

The following supplies are in this autumn natural material-filled sensory bin:

mouse figurines
leaves
twigs
pieces of wood and bark
hydrangea flowers
small stones
cardboard tubes
scarecrow figurine
plush pumpkin

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The Fall Forest Sensory Bin

The bin for this autumn sensory activity is a generously-sized active world tray.

Large and small leaves make excellent materials for mice to build nests with.

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Twigs. wood pieces and bark are readily found in the forest.

Paper rolls represent the tunnels the energetic little critters create to live in and cache food to survive late fall and winter.

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Large, light green hydrangea flowers add beauty.

Little mouse figurines scurry around everywhere.

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The plush harvest-themed pumpkin is a focal point. Mice happily nibble on the large orange fruits they discover outdoors.

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And the small scarecrow figurine with a mouse on its hat adds a touch of cuteness to the bin.

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Related: This Snowy Owl Sensory Bin is very popular on the blog. It also features plenty of cute little mouse figurines

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More Fall Activities

Colors of Fall Sensory Bin

Fall Leaf Crown Paper Crafts

Fall Pom Pom Tree Craft

Light Table Leaf Exploration

Fall Scissor Skill Activities

Fall Tablescape Pretend Play

Fall Leaf Salad Spinner Art

Fall Drip Ice Cake

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[Read more…]

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This snowy owl sensory bin is a fun way to teach about predators and prey and can be set up in minutes. There are plenty of mice in the hide-and-seek bin, but there’s nothing to be afraid of in this winter play invitation.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Snowy Owls and Mice

Snowy owls live in polar regions, but some make their way further south. The majestic birds have excellent vision and exceptional hearing ability and can detect mice and other rodents traveling through tunnels beneath snow in winter. Hunting by day or night, they can dive through the snow, grab a mouse with their talons, and then swallow it whole.

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Snowy Owl Sensory Bin Supplies

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Just a few supplies are in this cheeky snowy owl sensory bin:

cotton balls
paper towel rolls
toy mice
owl figurine
rocks
small logs

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The Snowy Owl Sensory Bin

A round saucer sled works well as a bin for this winter white sensory activity. It is big enough to hold a variety of supplies, but small enough to be easy to fill.

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A large snowy owl figurine is the main character in the bin. A stuffed animal owl would be an awesome alternative.

Cotton balls spread out in the bin represent snow.

Paper towel rolls cut to shorter lengths or left whole serve as tunnels. The paper rolls signify how mice dig tunnels in the snow and travel through them to find food on the ground to eat during the snowy months. The scurrying mice also use them to get to their underground burrows.

Mice come in a variety of colors, such as white, brown, or grey. In this sensory setup, steel grey rubber mice are the snowy owl prey.

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Many snowy owls live far north above the tree line and never see a tree during their lifetime. Some snowy owls venture further south, still choosing open areas to live in. Perched on a high vantage post such as a tree or fencepost, they scan the surrounding area for prey such as mice to eat. Thus a few rocks and logs are added to this second sensory bin.

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Snowy Owl Sensory Bin Learning Opportunities

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This snowy owl sensory bin play invitation is perfect for learning facts about snowy owls and mice, and learning about predators and prey. Discussing hard and soft, long and short, and heavy and light items facilitates language. Practice in counting mice and developing eye-hand coordination when taking mice in and out of their tunnels are other educational benefits.

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Related: If you like this post, check out my Fall Forest Sensory Bin activity. It’s filled with cute little mice too!

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