Mermaid and Sea Shells Water Beads Sensory Bin

A fun sea themed mermaid and sea shell water bead sensory bin your preschool, pre-k, or elementary aged kids will love! Great indoor activity for hours of play!

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If your kiddo loves mermaids, this is the sensory bin for them!

This mermaid and sea shell themed sensory bin is simple to prep and if you have other sea themed toys laying around, you can add them in as well.

We used the shells to scoop the water beads and mermaids, worked on our colors by sorting water beads and mermaids in the shells and also counted them before we dumped them back in the bin. 

This activity is so great for learning, motor skills and imaginative play. The texture of the water beads is so calming too!

We recommend this for preschoolers and school aged kids, but if you have a toddler who doesn't put things in their mouth, this could work for that age too.

Make sure to prep the water beads ahead of time so they can reach their full size. 

Keep scrolling for tips, process photos, additional water bead activities and more!

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What supplies do you need?

• Water beads
• Water
• Tablespoon
• Large bowl 
• Colander
• Mermaids and shells
• Sensory bin

Scroll down for measurements, instructions and printing!

Helpful tips:

• The water beads took up to 8 hours to reach full size. You'll want them to be about the size of a marble.

• Water beads should NOT be ingested and can be a choking hazard. Please use your best judgement to determine if your child is old enough to play with water beads.

• Water beads can be reused. When you're done with the sensory bin, wash the beads in warm, soapy water made with dish soap. Rinse and drain. Store in an airtight container or ziploc bag. Check for mold and rinse before using again.

More water bead activities you may like:

• Water Bead Stress Ball
• Frozen Water Beads
• Shaving Cream and Water Beads
• Water Bead Sensory Window

Try these fun additions or substitutions:

• plants
• fish
• buried treasure jewels and coins
• starfish

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I hope you enjoy this activity as much as our family did!

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Mermaid and Sea Shells Water Beads Sensory Bin

Author: Sweet Hazel Honey

materials:

• Water beads (mix of green, blue, white, clear)
• Water
• Tablespoon
• Large bowl or plastic pitcher
• Colander
• Mermaids and shells
• Sensory bin

steps:

1. Prepare the water beads according to the directions on the package.
2. For this sensory bin, I added 1 tablespoon of water beads to ½ gallon of clean water. The water beads took up to 8 hours to reach full size.
3. Use a colander to remove any extra water from the bowl used to prepare the water beads.
4. Carefully pour the water beads into the sensory bin.
5. Add the toys and sensory bin objects.
6. Allow the child time to explore the contents of the sensory bin and get creative with play while doing so!

NOTES:

The water beads took up to 8 hours to reach full size. You'll want them to be about the size of a marble.

Water beads should NOT be ingested and can be a choking hazard. Please use your best judgement to determine if your child is old enough to play with water beads.

Water beads can be reused. When you're done with the sensory bin, wash the beads in warm, soapy water made with dish soap. Rinse and drain. Store in an air tight container or ziploc bag. Check for mold and rinse before using again.

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