This grant proposal is proposed to provide a collection of Sensory Bins and sensory exploration materials to support the Early Elementary students of Seacrest Country Day School. Sensory Bins are fun, engaging, and easy to tailor to meet the differentiated student learning needs within Early Childhood classrooms. When young learners engage in sensory activities, a wide range of developmental goals are supported. It is not just fun - it’s foundational for essential physical, academic, and social-emotional growth during a child’s early learning years.

< Back to Search Grants

 

Sensing the World: A creative Journey through our Multi-Sensory Environment

grant photo
School:
Seacrest Country Day School - Lower School 
Subject:
Science 
Teacher:
Nadine Coban 
 
Mrs. Cindy Sirois 
Students Impacted:
50 
Grade:
Pre K - 5 
Date:
September 3, 2025

Investors

Thank you to the following investors for funding this grant.

 

Kelsey Lottes - $50.00

- $869.20

Share

Please share this page to help in fulfilling this grant.

Facebook Twitter email

 

Impact to My Classroom

# of Students Impacted: 50

We are so grateful to Champions for Learning and all the investors for their generous support of our Kindergarten classrooms! Thanks to this grant, our students had the incredible opportunity to dive into our Sensing the World project! The excitement was contagious from day one! 


With the material provided, our Kindergarteners explored the world around them using all five senses. They touched, listened, smelled, observed, and discovered in ways that brought learning to life in a truly hands-on way. Watching their eyes light up as they engaged with each new material was a reminder of just how powerful play-based, exploration learning can be at this age. 


The sensory bin proved to be one of the most effective tools in promoting fine motor skills and hand strength. By using tweezers, scoops, and small manipulatives, students practiced grasping, pouring, and transferring, all of which strengthened the muscles needed for writing and self-help tasks. Beyond physical development, the sensory bin encouraged language growth, particularly for English Language Learners, as students described textures, colors, and sensations during shared play. This collaborative exploration improved both expressive vocabulary and social interaction skills as children worked together, negotiated turns, and engaged in problem-solving.


The wobble cushions offered an important outlet for movement within structured learning time. For many students, especially those with ADHD or sensory regulation challenges, these cushions provided the proprioceptive input necessary to maintain attention, focus, and emotional control. As a result, teachers observed greater engagement during group lessons and improved transitions between activities.


Incorporating giant sound and sight tubes added a rich, multisensory component to our environment. These materials fostered curiosity and collaboration as students explored how light, movement, and sound interacted. This hands-on discovery supported early scientific thinking while providing calming visual and auditory stimulation that helped students manage overstimulation.


The variety of fine motor games and material further enhanced students’ precision, coordination, and bilateral hand use. These activities also encouraged peer cooperation, turn-taking, and the joy of shared success, reinforcing important social-emotional learning outcomes.


Overall, the Sensing the World Project has led to measurable improvements in students’ ability to self-regulate, focus, and engage with academic tasks. Children are demonstrating stronger fine motor control, richer descriptive language, and more positive peer interactions. The sensory materials not only nurture physical and cognitive growth but also provide emotional support, creating a calm, inclusive, and dynamic learning environment where all students can thrive.


In essence, this initiative has transformed sensory play from a supplemental activity into a cornerstone of early learning, building the foundation for lifelong skills in self-regulation, communication, and collaborative problem-solving.

grant photo

Sensory Bin: Our kids created their own Gingerbrea

grant photo

Building Blocks

 

grant photo

Fishing Game

grant photo

Giant Tubes

 

grant photo

Wobble cushion

grant photo

Sensory Bin

 

Original Grant Overview

Goal(s)

This grant proposal is proposed to provide a collection of Sensory Bins and sensory exploration materials to support the Early Elementary students of Seacrest Country Day School. Sensory Bins are fun, engaging, and easy to tailor to meet the differentiated student learning needs within Early Childhood classrooms. When young learners engage in sensory activities, a wide range of developmental goals are supported. It is not just fun - it’s foundational for essential physical, academic, and social-emotional growth during a child’s early learning years. 

 

Category

Learning Aids - Sunshine state book sets, robotics kits, puzzle boards, science models, engineering supplies, etc. 

 

Project Description

Our students will have daily opportunities to work and play with the sensory bin and the additional sensory items. We will switch the material seasonally with a theme-based approach. We will implement the sensory bin as a multi-purpose, developmentally appropriate tool. We will fill it with materials such as kinetic sand, rice, pasta, beans, water beads, paired with themed manipulatives like animals, letters, and numbers. Using the sensory bin to support our Literacy, Math, thematic, and seasonal learning, as well as our science curriculum.  

 

Expected Outcomes

The implementation of a Sensory Bin will improve students' fine motor skills and hand strength, as well as enhance focus, attention, concentration, and emotion regulation. Students with sensory processing difficulties will especially benefit from a Sensory Bin to enhance tactile, visual, and auditory input. Additionally, a Sensory Bin provides support for English Language Learners as they develop their descriptive language skills through peer collaboration during Sensory Bin activities.
Sensory play supports the development of our five senses. Our students should experience their senses, touch, sight, sound, and smell/taste through engaging activities, which will be implemented in our daily free play. Through the implementation of a sensory table, our students will develop and practice their physical skills, including Fine Motor and Gross Motor Skills. Especially in younger grades, students must have the opportunity to explore and practice their Fine Motor Skills, such as using tweezers and scoops, while also developing their coordination and hand strength.

A sensory table and the use of a variety of items will also help our children to calm down, manage their emotions, and reduce overstimulation, especially important for our youngest students with ADHD and other sensory processing differences.
Another important aspect is the use of language. Our students will be supported in using expressive vocabulary as well as descriptive language.

Working through math concepts by sorting, patterning, and classification, as well as exploring different science activities like properties (liquid vs. solid), are also reasons to implement a sensory table into our classrooms.  

 

Purpose of Funding

The requested building materials will be purchased via Lakeshore and Amazon using the school's account. The Amazon order will include free shipping. The purchases will be tax-exempt.
Lakeshore: Standard Shipping charges are 15% of the total merchandise cost for orders delivered to addresses within the contiguous United States, with a minimum charge of $6.99 

 

Items

# Item Cost
1 Wooden Tool Set Sensory bin (amazon) $54.98
2 Interlocking Building Blocks (amazon) $29.99
3 Magnetic Blocks Cubes (amazon) $41.98
4 Wooble cushion 4x (Lakeshore) $99.96
5 Sensory Discovery Tray (Lakes.) $59.99
6 Magnetic Fishing Set (Lakes.) $39.99
7 Design & Build Water Blocks (Lakes.) $29.99
8 Preschool Sand & Water Table - Natural Colors (Lakes.) $329.00
9 Mold & Play Sensory Sand - 10-Pound Bag (Lakes.) $39.99
10 Giant Sight & Sound Tubes (Lakes.) $89.99
11 approx. Shipping Fees Lakeshore $103.34
  Total: $919.20

Share

Please share this page to help in fulfilling this grant.

Facebook Twitter email

 

Special Thanks to Our Presenting Partners

Suncoast Credit Union