One of the best ways for children to learn the letters of the alphabet is through fun, hands-on activities.  This Magnetic Letter Sensory Bin is an entertaining, sensory activity that will help children practice letter recognition, visual discrimination, and develop fine motor skills.

How To Use The Magnetic Letter Sensory Bin For Learning The Alphabet:

Supplies:

• Wand Magnet
• Letter Magnets
• Sensory Bin
• Sensory Bin Filler
• Letter Printable
• Crayons

Set-up:

• Fill the sensory bin with any kind of sensory filler such as water beads, dried beans, or pom poms.
• Add the letter magnets to the sensory bin and mix them with the sensory bin filler.
• Print the letter printable.

How To Play:

Student’s will…

• Use the wand magnet to pull a letter magnet out of the sensory bin.
• Identify the letter and locate it on the printable
• Color the letter on the printable to match the color of the magnet.

For example, a child pulls a red A out of the sensory bin and colors the letter A red on the printable. 

 

For another way to play, you can place the printable on a cookie sheet. Instead of coloring, your students can place the letter magnets on top of the printable and stick them to the cookie sheet.

Extend the Learning:

• Reading alphabet books is always a fun way for children to learn and practice letter recognition.  Some of our favorite alphabet books are Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and Dr. Seuss’s ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book!
• Turn this letter recognition activity into a science lesson by teaching children about magnets. Children can learn by reading books like Magnets: Pulling Together and Pushing Apart by Nataile M. Rosinsky and simply playing with different types of magnets.

This Magnetic Letter Sensory Bin can be used as a literacy center and a fun way to practice recognizing the letter of the alphabet.