Setting Up Individual Bins

The social distancing and restrictions, based on public health regulations, that have been necessary in the past year have forced educators to rethink the way children play. Creating individual bins that children can use independently is a great way to meet children’s interests and needs all while allowing for easy clean up and avoid sharing of certain materials.

Each child takes their bin, and sits at the table or at a predetermined location in the room. Whether it be a sensory or a craft activity, manipulative or construction items, all are sure to enjoy.

Here are examples of how materials can be individually organized shared by childcare programs.

Containers with scissors, markers, coloured pencils and glue sticks. / Bins of sand and loose parts.
Containers filled with stickers and glue on materials.
Individual bins, labelled with child’s name or picture, containing supplies for free art such as scissors, markers or crayons, watercolour palette and brushes, small containers for water for painting, white paper, construction paper, popsicle sticks, glue stick, pearls, bingo daubers, pipe cleaners, stickers, etc.
Labelled containers of Play-Doh. 
Individual sensory bins. Each child has a Ziploc bag with their name on it that they can pour into a bin to play. Once done, the content goes back into the Ziploc.