20+ Holiday Sensory Tables for Preschool, Pre-K, and Kindergarten

Sensory tables are a powerful place in the classroom!  It is a special place where so much learning can occur IF you plan intentionally. Friends, I’m here with amazing holiday-themed sensory tables your students will LOVE! They are sure to learn a ton, too; it’s the power of play! There is a sensory table for every holiday, and on some holidays, I even have more ideas for you. 

In each sensory bin or table, try to add some kind of small tool to strengthen fingers and wrists (ex: scoops, tweezers, utensils), something to put the sensory filler into (ex: trays, bowls, plastic eggs, buckets), something to sort or count (ex: mini erasers, pom poms, jewels), and sometimes something to spark imaginary play (ex: animals, people, counters, ). Most of the supplies in the bins come from the Dollar Tree, Michaels, Walmart, Amazon, or the Target spot. If you want a printable list of Sensory Fillers and Sensory Tools, check out THIS POST, or if you want Sensory Table Ideas for 40+ Themes, check out THIS POST.

Since I’m sharing my favorite sensory tables, you also need to know how to make colorful fillers. Check out: How to Dye Chickpeas HERE, How to Color Beans HERE, How to Dye Rice HERE, and How to Dye Noodles HERE.

Just a reminder that red kidney beans are poisonous if ingested without being cooked. DO NOT put them in the sensory areas!

Want all the sensory bins in one printable teacher guide? Grab it here!

This post contains referral links which means if you purchase using my link, I earn a tiny commission. 

Holiday Sensory Table Ideas

New Year Sensory Table

• pom poms of various sizes and colors 
• tweezers
• colored cups for sorting
• curly ribbon 

New Year’s Sensory Bin!

• black beans
• cut up beaded necklaces
• disco ball ornaments
• star ornaments
• gold cups
• spoons and ladles
• clear containers

Lunar New Year Sensory Table

• noodles (dyed red and yellow) with a hole so students can string them
• cut straws and/or beads for students to string 
• gold pipe cleaners (cut in half)
• yellow and red gems
• cups
• fake coins

Valentine’s Day Sensory Table

• rice (dyed pink, red, and purple)
• heart gems
• heart table scatter
• candy heart box (clean first)
• measuring spoons and cups

Valentine’s Love Spell Sensory Table 

• flower petals (real or fake)
• tongs
• plastic heart eggs
• foam hearts
• pom poms
• basket

St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Table 

• straws (to cut and lace)
• scissors
• beads
• pipe cleaners

St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Table

• green split peas
• clover table scatter
• buttons
• gold coins
• plastic black pots (Dollar Tree during Halloween season)
• magnet numbers
• cookie pan with numbers 
• measuring spoons

St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bin

• split peas
• buttons
• large glitter
• gold coins
• black plastic pots
• shamrock confetti
• measuring spoons

Earth Day Sensory Table

• pet paper bedding
• tissue paper squares crumbled up
• tweezers
• recycling and trash trucks 
• mini trash and recycling bins

Earth Day Sensory Table

• chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)
• tweezers
• green and blue pom poms
• green and blue gems
• silicone cupcake cups
• dice
• measuring cups and spoons
• empty plastic bottle

Earth Day Sensory Bin

• colored water
• trash (I cleaned the trash beforehand)
• fish figurines

Easter Sensory Table

• navy beans colored pastel colors with acrylic paint to make them look like tiny eggs
• bunny mini erasers
• plastic eggs
• egg carton with numbers written in each spot

Easter Sensory Table

• fake grass
• foam easter eggs
• hand scoopers
• egg carton

Jesus Resurrection Sensory Table

• dyed noodles
• measuring scoops and spoons
• tongs
• mini erasers
• mini Jesus figures
• plastic vases

4th of July Sensory Table

• rice (dyed red, blue, and white)
• red and blue pom poms
• flag toothpick toppers
• measuring scoops
• silicone cupcake molds
• pail

Halloween Sensory Table

• black beans
• spiders
• pumpkin mini erasers
• colored eyeballs
• pumpkin tray
• mini plastic pumpkin basket things

Halloween Sensory Table

• rice (dyed purple)
• green split peas
• ghost mini erasers
• plastic eyeballs
• spiders
• bone table scatter (Michaels during Halloween season)
• letter beads (just the green, purple, and black ones)
• plastic black pots (dollar store during Halloween season)
• measuring spoons

Thanksgiving Sensory Table (aka Pumpkin Pie Sensory Table)

• red lentils (don’t worry, they are an orange color)
• mini pie pans (I can usually find them at places like Home Goods)
• pumpkin cookie cutters
• white pom poms (pretend to be whipped cream)
• pumpkin mini erasers
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups

Christmas Sensory Table 

• chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) colored green and blue with acrylic paint
• Christmas mini erasers
• small bells
• silicone cupcake molds
• measuring spoons

Christmas Sensory Table (cutting bin)

• strips of wrapping paper
• pieces of ribbon
• scissors

Christmas Nativity Sensory Table 

• craft grass
• scissors
• mini erasers
• mangers
• cookie cutters

Las Posadas Sensory Table 

• rice (dyed red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple)
• candy mini erasers
• pom poms
• small scoops
• plastic shot glasses
• mini pinata 

Kwanzaa Sensory Table 

• black beans
• rice (dyed red and green)
• fruit counters
• veggie counters
• small wooden utensils
• small wooden bowls

Hanukkah Sensory Table 

• navy beans  colored with silver, white, and blue acrylic paint
• mini bread pans
• dreidels 
• plastic gelt
• measuring cups

Diwali Sensory Table 

• salt colored blue with liquid watercolor
• jewel gems
• sifter
• funnel
• small plastic tubes
• measuring cups

Saint Lucia Sensory Table 

• baking soda
• red candles
• pieces of a greenery
• measuring scoops
• star mini erasers
• star cookie cutters

Ramadan Sensory Table 

• pasta (stelline) dyed black and gold with liquid watercolor
• start table sequins
• moon cookie cutter
• metal mini utensils (IKEA)
• metal measuring cups
• gold plastic cups

If you need more direction about PLANNING and understanding the benefits of SENSORY PLAY, check out this post with a printable list! If you want over 200 sensory recipes in one printable teacher’s guide, grab it here!

If you need sensory ideas for more themes, check out this post packed with 40 sensory tables!

To help students manage their behaviors at the sensory table, I created this FREE visual routine chart! Grab it HERE.

Now that you are excited about sensory tables, you might need to know how to color the fillers. I have made a few tutorials to help you. Check out: How to Dye Chickpeas HERE, How to Color Beans HERE, How to Dye Rice HERE, and How to Dye Noodles HERE.

Love it? Pin this image!