Author: Susie
Is this the most gorgeous Easter activity for kids? Definitely. Find out how to make this Easter soup sensory bin for kids using just water, paint, and Easter eggs. This easy activity for Easter is a perfect way to have fun with plastic eggs.
Table of Contents:
- What is an Easter soup sensory bin?
- The secret to this Easter soup activity
- Supplies
- The how-to
- What happened with the sensory soup activity?
- What can a child learn with Easter sensory soup?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Easter soup sensory bin?
Let’s start with a quick fact: this is not edible soup. This is not the soup you are serving for Easter dinner. This is sensory soup: a term for a water-based activity kids play with.
It’s not my favorite term for an activity but I didn’t pick it. I’m only keeping with tradition.
That said, this Easter soup sensory bin was a smash hit and a perfect way to play with plastic eggs. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: plastic eggs should not and do not need to be an Easter only supply. These are absolute gems to play with.
I keep a set on hand for activities throughout the year.
RELATED: Looking for more Easter activities for kids? Check out my post with 30+ ideas.
The secret to this Easter soup activity
There is a bit of magic to this Easter soup sensory bin. Can you spot it from the photos?
The paint looks like it is swirling, dancing, and spinning around the water.
This is the result of using metallic kids paint instead of regular kids paint. It’s totally fine to use regular paint for this activity (the results will be opaque and gorgeous too), but for this extra effect, using metallic paint (a technique I learned from Friends Art Lab) makes this soup something special.
RELATED: Do you love Easter eggs too? Check out my list of activities using plastic Easter eggs \as the main supply. There are so many great ideas!
Supplies
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- Metallic paint (I have this set and used the purple)
- Easter eggs
- Various cups
- Clear plastic jars
- 28 qt sensory bin
This is a very basic set of supplies but as always, my plea: remember to use what you have. The goal is not to replicate the activity exactly as it looked at my house. I used what I have. You use what you have.
The how-to
This was one of my favorite activity set ups because it was entirely dictated by my 3 year old friend who was over playing.
She gave me very clear directions: “I want purple water and the eggs.”
I went to find my purple paint and in my haste to make her wishes come true, I grabbed the metallic paint instead. Knowing how gorgeous metallic paint can be in water, I knew this was a fortuitous find and believed, without a doubt, this would be one of the most gorgeous sensory bins I had ever created.
And I was right.
What happened with the sensory soup activity?
This 3 year old was just giddy about her activity. She played for well over 30 minutes: scooping, pouring, trapping eggs, filling them, and letting the drain out.
She created games for herself and stirred together different recipes.
It was an excellent activity idea, and she knew that she had nailed it. It was also the perfect activity to set up for her, and kept her perfectly entertained so I could sit and chat with her mom (a rare fete to actually have a moment of peace to get in a full adult conversation and thank goodness for activities that can be that tool).
What can a child learn with Easter sensory soup?
We never need to justify the use of an activity: play is learning so all play is valuable to a child.
But it is fun (of course it is) to step back and look at these activities and think about all the learning a child is doing during this fun.
In this Easter sensory soup, my 3 year old friend is learning:
- Life skills: scooping, pouring, stirring
- Fine motor skills: grasping, turning twisting,
- Independent play: developing her skills to self entertain
- Critical thinking: predicting, learning cause and effect, problem solving
- Imaginative play: making stories and building ideas
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the paint stain their hands?
This is washable paint diluted with water so no: nothing stain hands. If paint color does transfer to their clothing, pre-treat with hand soap first before washing like normal.
Is this activity taste-safe?
Adding paint to water makes the activity not taste safe. If you are looking for a taste safe alternative, try dyeing the water with a few drops of purple food coloring.
What age is this activity for?
Think stages not ages: this activity is best for kids who will not drink the paint-dyed water, who enjoy water sensory bins, and who have an interest in playing with Easter eggs.
Susie Allison, M. Ed
Owner, Creator
Susie Allison is the creator of Busy Toddler and has more than 2 million followers on Instagram. A former teacher and early childhood education advocate, Susie’s parenting book “Busy Toddler’s Guide to Actual Parenting” is available on Amazon.
