Looking for an easy and educational way to introduce the letter A to your toddler or preschooler? This week, we’re diving into “A is for Apple” with a hands-on sensory bin activity that’s perfect for developing early literacy, fine motor skills, and sensory exploration.
We’ve also included an Apple Orchard printable to help reinforce the letter A through playful, engaging visuals — perfect for homeschoolers, preschool classrooms, or stay-at-home learning days!
Materials You’ll Need
Here’s everything you need to create your Apple Sensory Bin:
Red and green pom poms (or felt balls)
Dry oats, rice, or shredded paper as a filler
Tongs, tweezers, or small scoops
Optional: plastic apples, apple erasers, letter A puzzle pieces
How to Set Up the Apple Sensory Bin
Fill a shallow tray or bin with your chosen filler (oats give it a fun fall farm feel!).
Cut out the apple-themed printables and scatter them throughout the bin.
Add red and green pom poms to represent apples.
Include tongs or scoops to encourage fine motor work.
Add a few letter A manipulatives or foam letters for extra literacy exposure.
Invite your child to play — scoop, sort, match, and learn!
Learning Objectives by Age Group
6–12 mo: Tummy time near bin-in-a-bag, color and texture exploration
1–2 yrs: Grasping and releasing pom poms, sensory discovery
2–3 yrs: Color sorting (red vs. green), “A” recognition
3–4 yrs: Matching apples to printable pieces, apple counting
4–5 yrs: Tracing letter A in salt tray, apple-themed word practice
Grab the Free Printable
🎉 Download Your Free Letter of the Week Poster Sensory Printable!
Want all 26 letters delivered to your inbox? Sign up for the full Letter of the Week series!
Tips to Extend the Activity
Try these fun add-ons to keep your child engaged:
Hide real apple slices in the bin for a taste-safe surprise!
Use the printable cards for a matching memory game.
Create a “Letter A Apple Hunt” around the room.
Fill a tray with salt or flour and have your child trace a big uppercase and lowercase A with their finger.
Related Activities
25 Vocabulary Words for “A is for Apple”
Apple, red, green, tree, leaf, orchard, fruit, stem, core, seed, pick, sweet, tart, juicy, snack, crunchy, basket, farmer, bin, peel, slice, bake, pie, harvest, worm
Pin It for Later
📍 Save this activity to your Preschool Letter Activities board!
Learning the alphabet is a whole lot more fun when it’s hands-on. Use this sensory activity and printable to help your little one fall in love with the letter A!