Happy Back to School, y’all! I hope your summer was full of fun and refreshment! The beginning of the school year can be such a busy time, but this free Beginning Sounds Back to School Sensory Bin Activity will help make your phonics instruction and practice with letter sounds a breeze and a blast!
*Pair this with our Back to School Centers and Activities for Pre-K & Kindergarten!

Beginning Sounds Back to School Sensory Bin Activity
I couldn’t resist pairing these bright red apples with my favorite shiny black beans! The colors look so beautiful against each other, and the apples just shout “Back to School!” to me.
Set up is easy so let’s get started!
How to Prep and Play
- First, fill your preferred bin with black beans (or any other sensory bin filler you choose).
- Then, print, laminate, and cut the apples in half, and place them in the sensory bin.
- Students take turns picking apple pieces from the bin to match the pictures to their beginning sounds.
- Then they record their matches on the included recording sheet.

Are you not a fan of sensory bins? No worries! This set can easily be used as a simple matching center.
When the students are done making matches they can write the letter for the beginning sound on the recording sheet.

More Ways to Play!
- Beginning Sounds Memory – Lay all of the apple pieces upside down and allow students to choose two pieces at a time to make matches.
- “Go Fish” – Split the apple pieces into equal groups among your students. Students then take turns asking for a match to their cards – either a picture that begins with a letter they already have or a letter that begins the picture they already have.
- Face-Up Matching – Using traditional matching practice is great for beginners or struggling students. Lay out all the apple pieces face-up so that students can glance through all of the cards to make their matches.

No matter how you choose to use this set, your students are sure to love jumping back into phonics practice this Back to School season!
Grab Your FREE Copy
Ready to start “picking apples?” Get the free Back to School Sensory Bin printables by clicking on the large, yellow download button at the end of the post!
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- Beginning Sounds Back to School Sensory Bin Activity - August 1, 2022
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Love your resources!!! Thank you so much!