Fall and Halloween Sensory Bins and Dough Activities to Explore Feelings

As the crisp autumn air rolls in and the leaves begin to change color, it’s the perfect season to engage young learners in social-emotional learning (SEL) through fun, hands-on, multi-sensory activities. Some engaging and budget-friendly options are using dollar tree supplies to create seasonal sensory bins. In this blog post, I'll show you how to create a Fall Feelings Harvest Sensory Bin and a Halloween Feelings Sensory Bin. In addition, I'll share all about using play-doh and drawing to help kids explore feelings. These activities are a fun way to integrate nature, the holidays, seasonal objects, and social-emotional learning into a hands-on sensory experience that kids will enjoy while they're learning.

Feelings Harvest Sensory Bin

Materials You'll Need:

Nature Objects:

• First, gather sticks, acorns, leaves, or other natural fall items from a nature scavenger hunt. This adds a tactile, nature-focused element to the activity.

Dollar Tree Finds:

• Resin pumpkins and leaves (from the Halloween section)

• Sunflowers and other mini fall florals (from the floral section)

• Wheat (tan spiky pieces - for additional sensory textures)

• Multi-colored dried beans or lentils for a filler (you can also find these at the grocery store)

Feelings or Scenario Cards:

• Hide these Fall feelings and scenario cards inside the bin to incorporate SEL elements. I like to laminate for durability. I read a scenario card and hide the feelings cards. The kids have to search in the sensory bin to find the feeling card that matches the scenario read.

Tools:

• Big tweezers or tongs to help children practice fine motor skills as they sort through the sensory bin

• Trays to keep the sensory tray contained (these ones are smaller trays and these larger ones are nice because they come with a lid)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Nature Scavenger Hunt

Before creating the sensory bin, take the children outside on a nature scavenger hunt to collect items like sticks, acorns, and leaves. This can be a really fun, mindful experience. Encourage the kids to talk about the different textures they find and how those textures might relate to different feelings or emotions. For example, a soft leaf could represent calmness, while a rough stick might represent frustration. This starts the conversation on emotional awareness even before the sensory bin is built.

2. Creating the Sensory Bin

Begin by filling your bin with the multi-colored dried beans or lentils as the base. Next, layer in the items you gathered from nature, along with the Dollar Tree fall-themed objects. The resin pumpkins, leaves, sunflowers, and other small florals add visual interest and can help spark conversation about the season and its changes.

3. Hiding the Feelings or Scenario Cards

To bring in the SEL component, hide your laminated feelings cards or scenario cards inside the sensory bin. The cards have emotions (happy, sad, angry, scared) on them and include Fall themed scenarios. The children will use the big tweezers or tongs to sift through the sensory bin, finding the cards as they go.

I find it helpful to read a scenario card and hide the feelings cards. The kids have to search in the sensory bin to find the feeling card that matches the scenario read.

4. Exploring Emotions

Once a child finds a feelings or scenario card, encourage them to talk about the emotion or situation. You can ask questions like, “Can you remember a time you felt this way?” or “How do you think someone else feels in this situation?” This opens up dialogue and reflection, key components of emotional regulation and empathy building.

Halloween Feelings Sensory Bin

Materials You'll Need:

Dollar Tree Finds:

• Mini skulls (from the Halloween section)

• Mini foam bones (also from the Halloween section)

• Halloween pom-poms (black pom-poms from Dollar Tree; glittery black and purple pom-poms from Michaels, Amazon, or other craft stores)

• Mini Halloween buckets (perfect for sorting and organizing)

Feelings and Scenario Cards:

• Hide these Halloween feelings and scenario cards inside the bin to

• incorporate SEL elements. I like to laminate for durability. I read a scenario card and hide the feelings cards. The kids have to search in the sensory bin to find the feeling card that matches the scenario read.

Tools:

• Big tweezers or tongs to help children practice fine motor skills as they sort through the sensory bin

• Trays to keep the sensory tray contained (these ones are smaller trays and these larger ones are nice because they come with a lid)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Creating the Sensory Bin

Start by filling the bin with the black and purple pom-poms to serve as the base. This gives the bin a Halloween vibe while offering a soft and tactile experience. You can mix in different textures like glittery pom-poms from Michaels to add a visual and sensory contrast. Next, add the mini skulls and foam bones from Dollar Tree to give the bin a spooky touch. These items provide a variety of shapes and textures for children to explore, making it more engaging.

2. Hiding the Feelings or Scenario Cards

Similar to the harvest-themed bin, hide feelings or scenario cards inside the sensory bin. The Halloween theme adds a playful twist, making it feel like the children are on a spooky treasure hunt. As they sift through the skulls and bones, they’ll uncover different feelings or emotional scenarios to discuss.

3. Sorting with Mini Buckets

The mini Halloween buckets from Dollar Tree can be used to enhance the activity. As the children find the skulls, bones, and feelings cards, ask them to sort the items into the different buckets. You could assign one bucket to “happy feelings,” one for “scary feelings,” and another for “mystery scenarios.” Sorting adds an extra layer of learning, helping children categorize their emotions while practicing decision-making and organizational skills.

4. Exploring Emotions

Once a child finds a feelings card, encourage a conversation about the emotion or scenario depicted. Ask questions such as, “What does it feel like when you’re scared?” or “How do you handle feeling nervous in a spooky situation?” You can connect the Halloween theme by discussing how certain Halloween creatures might feel—“How do you think a skeleton feels when someone is scared of it?” This playful connection helps children express emotions in a relatable and creative way.

Benefits of Making Feelings Sensory Bins

These activities not only engage children in a tactile, sensory experience but also reinforces key social-emotional skills:

• Emotional Awareness: Through feelings cards and conversations, kids learn to recognize and name their emotions to build their emotional vocabulary.

  
  

• Empathy Building: Exploring different scenarios helps children understand how others might feel in various situations.

  
  

• Fine Motor Skills: Using the big tweezers or tongs to grab items from the sensory bin enhances fine motor development.

  
  

• Mindfulness and Focus: Engaging with the different textures and objects helps children stay present and focused, supporting mindfulness practices.

  
  

• Nature Connection: The use of natural elements like acorns and sticks encourages children to connect with the world around them.

• Themed Learning: By connecting the activity to a seasonal theme like Fall and Halloween, kids remain engaged and excited to participate.

Explore Feelings with Play-Doh and Drawing this Fall

In addition to sensory bins, another fantastic tool for supporting social-emotional learning during the fall season is the use of these Play-Doh and Drawing Mats. All of the feelings and scenario cards used in these sensory kits can also be used as this fun drawing and play-doh mat activity! These mats can be used for a variety of seasonal themes, including:

• Fall Dough and Drawing Mats Set

• Halloween Dough and Drawing Mats Set
  

• Thanksgiving Dough and Drawing Mats Set

  
  

This activity also offers a creative, kid-approved hands-on way for children to explore emotions through drawing or

molding facial expressions on different fall characters. You'll even get feelings prompt dice to extend the conversation and learning. Some teachers like to laminate the mats and use dry-erase markers so they can be reused.

This activity not only taps into children’s creativity but also fosters important SEL skills such as emotional identification, self-awareness, and social awareness. Let’s explore how these mats can enrich your emotional learning toolkit.

Why Kids Love This Activity:

This engaging, hands-on approach is perfect for a classroom, counseling sessions, or homes. The mats with feeling and scenario cards allow children to explore emotions in a low-pressure, creative space, which can be especially helpful for those who may find it challenging to express their feelings verbally. The combination of drawing, molding, and discussing the scenario cards makes it a multi-sensory activity that appeals to a wide range of learners.

• Sensory-Friendly: The tactile experience of molding Play-Doh to create different facial expressions is fun, calming, and grounding for children, providing a sensory outlet as they learn about emotions.

• Creative Play: The open-ended nature of the mats allows for creativity, whether children prefer drawing on the faces or shaping emotions with Play-Doh.

  
  
  
  

More Extensions and Variations

Looking for more ways to extend the activity further? Here are some more ways to add extra layers of learning and fun:

• Storytelling: After finding a scenario card, ask the children to create a short story or role play about the situation. This encourages imaginative thinking and narrative skills.

  
  

• Sorting: If you’re using multi-colored beans, ask the children to sort them by color or size. Sorting provides additional focus and fine motor practice.

  
  

• Seasonal Conversations: Incorporate discussions about the Fall season and holidays—what changes happen, how the weather affects emotions, etc. This helps children relate their feelings to their environment.

• Halloween Creature Feelings: Discuss how classic Halloween creatures (like ghosts, witches, and monsters) might feel in different situations. This playful connection helps kids identify emotions in a fun, non-threatening way.

Conclusion

The Fall and Halloween Feelings Sensory Bins and Dough and Drawing Mats are fun, hands-on ways to engage children in social-emotional learning, all while embracing the excitement of the Fall season. By using affordable supplies from Dollar Tree and adding a few creative twists, you can create fun sensory experiences that not only sparks joy but also fosters emotional awareness. Check out this growing bundle of all my seasonal and holiday dough and drawing mats here which are filled with seasonal feelings and scenario cards!