Daniel and the Lion’s Den Sensory Bin for Kids

Ever wish you had a fun, hands-on way to bring Bible stories to life for your little one? This Daniel and the Lion’s Den sensory bin is the perfect way to do just that! Kids love sensory play, and this simple setup lets them explore the story of Daniel in a creative and engaging way.

The best part? You probably have everything you need already at home! With just a few basic materials—like pasta, rice, or even shredded paper—you can create a budget-friendly “lion’s den” where your child can act out the story and learn about God’s protection and faithfulness.

Keep reading to see how easy it is to put this together, plus a few fun ways to extend the play and make the lesson even more meaningful! 

(And if your little one loves hands-on Bible activities, be sure to check out my Noah’s Ark Sensory Bin and Parable of the Lost Sheep Sensory Bin for more fun ways to explore God’s Word through play!)

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Why Sensory Play with Bible Stories?

If you’ve ever watched a toddler or preschooler play, you know they learn best by doing. Sensory play is more than just fun—it helps kids explore, create, and remember what they’re learning. Which is why combining hands-on play with Bible stories has become one of my favorite ways to teach my girls about the Bible!

Here’s why sensory play is a game-changer for teaching God’s Word:

• Brings the Story to Life – Instead of just hearing about Daniel and the lion’s den, kids get to see, touch, and act it out, making the story feel real.
• Encourages Story Retelling – When kids engage in sensory play, they naturally start to talk about what’s happening, which builds comprehension and helps them remember the lesson.
• Engages Different Learning Styles – Whether your child loves touching, moving, or storytelling, a sensory bin meets them where they are and keeps them engaged.
• Creates Meaningful Connections – Playing through a Bible story allows kids to connect their faith with real-life experiences, helping them understand that God’s love and protection are always with them.

So, if you’re looking for a simple, budget-friendly way to help your child connect with God’s Word, a sensory bin like this one is a great place to start!

Budget-Friendly Materials & Supplies

One of the best things about this Daniel and the Lion’s Den sensory bin is that you can put it together using simple, budget-friendly items—many of which you probably already have at home!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Sensory Bin Base (The Lion’s Den Floor)

Choose one of these easy, low-mess fillers:
✅ Dry pasta (penne, rotini, or spaghetti work great!)
✅ Uncooked rice (plain or dyed yellow/brown for a “desert” look)
✅ Shredded paper (repurpose old newspaper or packaging paper)

Lions for the Den 

✅ Toy lions (from a toy box, thrift store, or dollar store)
✅ Printable lion cutouts (Grab my FREE printable lions below for a budget-friendly option!)

The Cave (Daniel’s Den) 

✅ Small cardboard box (cut an opening for a cave-like effect)
✅ Building blocks (wooden blocks, LEGO, or foam blocks)

Optional Extras 

• Small figurine to represent Daniel (or a printable cutout)
• A shallow bin or tray to contain the play area
• Tongs or scoops for extra fine motor fun

This sensory bin is super flexible, so don’t stress about having the “perfect” materials—just use what you have and make it work for you!

Bonus! Download my FREE printable lions to make your sensory bin even easier to set up!

Creating your sensory bin

Putting this sensory bin together is super easy, and trust me—your kids are going to love it! When I set this up for my girls, they were so excited to dig in, play with the lions, and act out the story. They spent so much time hiding Daniel in the cave, making the lions “roar,” and even pretending the angels were keeping the lions from attacking. It was such a fun and meaningful way to bring the Bible story to life!

Here’s how to set up your own Daniel and the Lion’s Den sensory bin in just a few simple steps:

Step 1: Prepare the Base (The Den Floor)

First, grab a plastic bin or tray to hold everything together. Then, choose a sensory filler:
✅ Dry pasta (penne or rotini work great!)
✅ Uncooked rice (plain or dyed yellow/brown for a desert look)
✅ Shredded paper (perfect for a soft, fluffy “den”)

I went with plain, uncooked rice because I already had some on hand. It’s been a while since I used plain rice in a sensory bin (we usually dye ours), but it was perfect for this bin!

Step 2: Add the Lions

Now, it’s time for the main stars of the den—the lions! You can use:
✅ Toy lions (if you have some in your animal toy collection)
✅ Printable lion cutouts (grab my FREE printable lions for an easy and budget-friendly option!)

We used a mix of toy lions and the printable lions, and it worked perfectly!

Step 3: Build the Cave (Daniel’s Den)

To create a cave for Daniel, you can use:
✅ A small cardboard box (just cut out an opening for a cave-like effect)
✅ Building blocks (stack them to form an opening)

We built our cave out of blocks – Ella did most of the construction, and I added a cardboard top for the cave. I was planning on using Duplo blocks, but she started building with regular wooden blocks before I even got a chance to get the other ones out, and who am I to stop her?

Step 4: Invite Your Child to Play

Now for the best part—playtime! Let your child explore the bin and encourage them to retell the story of Daniel in the lion’s den. You can ask questions like:

• “Where is Daniel?”
• “What do the lions do when they see him?”
• “Who came to protect Daniel?”

I was honestly so pleasantly surprised by how quickly Ella launched into a full retelling of the Bible story. She may have added a few twists and turns along the way (I think she said Daniel’s wife was actually the one to go in the cave), but she really nailed the story overall! And we had some great conversations about how God protects us just like He protected Daniel.

This sensory bin was such a fun and low-prep way to help my kids connect with the Bible in a hands-on way. I hope your little ones love it as much as mine did!

Don’t forget to grab your FREE printable lions to make setup even easier!

Bible Story Connection

One of the best things about this sensory bin is that it’s not just fun—it helps kids connect with God’s Word in a hands-on way! As they play, you can guide them through the story of Daniel and the Lion’s Den (Daniel 6) and talk about its powerful message of faith and God’s protection.

Here are a few simple ways to make the Bible story come to life while playing:

Read Daniel 6 Together

Before (or even during) playtime, read Daniel 6 from a children’s Bible (I always pull this one out during our Bible sensory play) or summarize it in simple terms. You can say something like:

“Daniel loved God and prayed to Him every day, but some people didn’t like that. They made a law that no one could pray to God—but Daniel kept praying anyway! Because of that, he was thrown into a den full of hungry lions. But guess what? God sent an angel to shut the lions’ mouths, and Daniel was completely safe! The next morning, the king was so happy that Daniel was alive, and he praised God for His power and protection.”

Act Out the Story

Encourage your child to use the sensory bin to retell the story in their own way! You can guide them with fun prompts like:

• “Can you help Daniel hide in the cave?”
• “Let’s make the lions roar! But wait—who is coming to protect Daniel?”
• “What does the king say when he sees Daniel is safe?”

My girls loved making the lions stomp around and roar, but they also loved acting out the angel coming to protect him. It was so sweet to see them engage with the story!

Talk About Faith & God’s Protection

This is the perfect time to chat about how God is always with us, just like He was with Daniel. You can ask:

• “Have you ever been scared? What do you think Daniel felt in the lion’s den?”
• “What does this story teach us about trusting God?”
• “Can you think of a time when God helped you feel safe?”

Sensory play gives kids a tangible way to experience these big truths, helping them remember that God is always in control, no matter what!

Looking for even more ways to help your child learn about Jesus in everyday life? Check out my post on How to Teach Your Child About Jesus Through Everyday Routines for simple ideas to weave faith into daily moments.

Ways to Extend the Play

Want to take the fun (and learning!) even further? Here are a few simple ways to extend the play and reinforce the story of Daniel and the Lion’s Den in meaningful ways:

• Bible-Themed Coloring & Activities – Pair your sensory bin with some fun coloring pages, worksheets, and activities to help your child dive deeper into the story! My Daniel and the Lion’s Den Bible resource includes:
  ✅ Bible story coloring pages
  ✅ Activity sheets
  ✅ Memory verse printables
  ✅ And more!

Check it out here → Daniel and the Lion’s Den Bible Resource on TPT

• Sing a Song About Daniel – Music is a great way to reinforce Bible stories! Try singing “Dare to Be a Daniel” or another fun Daniel and the Lion’s Den song while playing.

• Build a Bigger Lion’s Den – Let your child get creative by using cardboard boxes, couch cushions, or blankets to build a life-sized lion’s den! They can pretend to be Daniel and act out the story.

• Put on a Puppet Show – Use stuffed animals, paper puppets, or even just your hands to retell the story in a new way. Kids love acting out Bible stories—it helps them remember key details while having fun!

• Lion-Themed Crafts – Make a cute lion craft to go along with the story! A simple paper plate lion or a handprint lion (psst–there’s one in my FREE Bible handprint crafts download below!) would be a perfect tie-in.

• Make Play Dough Lions & Caves – Want to take the fun even further? Try making lions and caves out of homemade play dough! If you need an easy, no-fail recipe, check out my Quick & Easy Play Dough Recipe.
   
• Incorporate Prayer & Scripture at Dinner Time – Use the dinner table as a time to reinforce what your child learned through play! My post on Family Prayer and Scripture at Dinner Time has an easy-to-follow structure for meaningful faith conversations.

Sensory play is such a fun and hands-on way to bring Bible stories to life, and this Daniel and the Lion’s Den sensory bin is no exception! Not only does it give kids a chance to explore and play, but it also helps them connect with God’s Word in a meaningful way. My girls had so much fun acting out the story, making the lions “roar,” and remembering that God is always with us, just like He was with Daniel.

I hope this activity blesses your family as much as it did mine! If you try it, I’d love to hear how it goes—leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram. And don’t forget to grab your FREE printable lions to make setup even easier!

Want even more Daniel and the Lion’s Den activities? Check out my Daniel and the Lion’s Den Bible Resource on TPT for coloring pages, memory verse printables, and more!