Schleich animal figures are so versatile, and are great quality. We have a few different types, and when we were sent a selection of their ocean animals, I knew that they would be perfect for a simple ocean themed sensory bin. R (4) loved playing with these animal figures, naming each one (thanks to many trips to the aquarium!) and making up stories and games with each of the ocean creatures.
For our ocean sensory bin, we used:
Schleich ocean set which includes ocean animals of the great barrier reef – sea turtles, manta rays, seahorses, and sharks.
Plus some additional ocean animals:
Blue Whale
Killer whale
Dolphin
Blue shark
We added these to a large tub with water and some ocean coloured
water beads. I had wanted pure blue, but we had run out of that colour so ours are a little more purple than I intended – still a lot of fun though!
You could make an even simpler set up with these animals, just adding them to a tub with plain water.
All of the Schleich figures are so detailed and realistic, which I like since it helps kids to more easily tie in the toys with the real animals they would have seen at aquariums and zoos. Each Schleich figure is hand painted, so lots of effort has gone into each one. They are definitely better quality than the cheaper plastic animal figures you can buy in some shops. Although they are more expensive when buying several animals, I do find they always last much longer, are noticeably better in quality, and always have more detail.
R’s favourite from the ocean set is the sea turtle. I think mine has to be the sea horse with it’s vibrant colours.
There’s plenty you can do with these figures on “dry land” too. Here we ordered them all by size, and you could also sort them into groups by size, colour, species, or meat eater or vegetarian depending how much your kids know about the creatures.
Using these figures is an easy way to learn as you talk together about the different animals while they play.
I was pleased to see how much knowledge the boys had retained about whales, sharks, dolphins and the other ocean creatures and these toys offer a chance to refresh that knowledge and put it to use in a hands on way as they play.
More Ocean Play Ideas
Ocean Scene Window Art for Kids
Squishy Ocean Sensory Bag
28 Fin-tastic Fish Crafts for Kids
10 Jawsome Shark Crafts for Kids
We were sent the Schleich figures for review. Affiliate links are included.
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
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