Looking for an easy indoor activity? Try this Paw Patrol search and rescue sensory bin to jump start play and give your child a chance to work on their coordination. Using just toys, water, and a slotted spoon, this really is a genius activity for toddlers and preschoolers.
Why I made a Paw Patrol Search and Rescue bin
“Paw Patrol, Paw Patrol, they’ll be there on the double….” and I know you are singing along and about to finish the next line in the song because dang if those pups aren’t catchy!
My toddler (2.5) and the Paw Patrollers are like peas and carrots so why not make a Paw Patrol Search and Rescue sensory bin for him?!
The reason I went this route: It’s all about making activities right for YOUR toddler.
My toddler (and his older siblings) have a long standing love of the Paw Patrollers.
Putting those pups into activity action is a great way to grab my toddler’s attention. For you, it might be a Peppa Pig or Bluey rescue bin… it’s all about tailoring this idea to your child’s love.
My toddler doesn’t have the longest attention span right now or patience for activities he can’t immediately grasp, so this scoop and transfer style activity was perfect for him.
Looking for more structure each day?
Check out Playing Preschool: Busy Toddler’s 190-day at-home activities program
Why was Paw Patrol Search and Rescue so perfect for him?
First: there’s the buy-in. It’s his favorite characters / toys and they need help.
Second: he loves water activities. Scooping activities and pouring activities are two of his favorites.
Right there, we have total buy-in from a toddler who doesn’t love to do anything alone or independently.
Hallelujah.
RELATED: Looking for more fantastic options for toddlers? Check out my post of easy toddler activities.
The Set-Up
I love a good quick set up activity and this one was as easy as 1, 2, 3.
I grabbed our beloved 28 qt sensory bin and added a second, smaller bin inside of it. Think double bagging but it’s double binning.
In the smaller bin, I placed the Pups and covered them with colored water (I dyed it blue to be a little fancy – nothing stained these pups because the water is so diluted).
Finally, I handed my toddler a slotted spoon and told him the mission:
“The pups need to be rescued from the blue water. We need Matt to shuttle in and scoop each pup to safety.”
I for sure did my best Ryder speech impression to keep things really authentic.
How long did he play with this easy activity?
RELATED: Looking for some awesome indoor activity ideas? I have the best list!
He played this for a week straight.
You read that right: my toddler, who rarely plays alone, who wants constant help and assistance and all that jazz, couldn’t stop playing this.
The first round, he played for 35 minutes. That doesn’t happen in my life with him.
I made the choice to leave the activity up and let him keep coming back to it as he needed.
Apparently, he needed a lot more time. I found him there the whole next week.
What if your child isn’t a Paw Patrol fan?
Substitute! Tailor! Make this right for them!
The whole idea of easy activities is to give you a base to jump from.
If your child isn’t into the Paw Patrollers, ask yourself what they are into? What toys or characters would LOVE rescuing from a bin of blue water?
It’s all about tailoring the activity to meet the needs and interests of the child.
What is a child learning playing Paw Patrol Search and Rescue bin?
Paw Patrol Search and Rescue was awesome for my son.
He had fun and he worked on some amazing life skills: how to scoop and transfer an object.
Sometimes those pups didn’t cooperate in their rescue so he had to work hard and problem solve to get them into the spoon.
Watching him think critically as he focused on his task was the stuff activity dreams are made of.
A scoop and transfer rescue mission is the best way to make it to nap time – hooking those littles in with one amazing activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Depends on the child more than the age. My oldest would never like an activity like this, so I’ve never made it for him. My youngest loved this kind of activity so I knew it would be perfect for him.
I don’t worry about the floors – they’re real wood so it’s ok if what gets on them. You can always put a towel under the bin or do this activity in the bathtub.
Nope! These toys do not have holes in them so mold does not form.
Susie Allison, M. Ed
Owner, Creator
Susie Allison is the creator of Busy Toddler and has more than 2.3 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.
Subscribe to my free newsletter and I’ll send you “35 Easy Toddler Activities to Break Up the Day!”
Leave a Comment