Home » Activities » Sensory » Sensory Bins » 100+ Non-Food Sensory Bin Filler Ideas for Kids
Published: April 14, 2023 · Updated: December 24, 2023 by Sacha
Are you a teacher or parent looking for sensory play materials that aren’t food? Check out this big list of non-food sensory bin fillers for kids! These non-food sensory bin ideas are perfect for schools and daycare centres that don’t allow food to be used for play.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full disclosure for further information.
JUMP TO…
If you’ve visited this website before, you probably know how much I love to share taste-safe and edible sensory activity ideas for kids. But there are also lots of reasons why you may prefer not to use food in your DIY sensory bins.
Perhaps your child has food allergies and you have to be really careful about which foods you give them.
Perhaps you find it expensive or wasteful.
Perhaps you work in a daycare centre where food items aren’t allowed to be used in sensory bins. (I’ve heard this one a lot.)
Perhaps you do sometimes use food in sensory bins and are simply looking for more sensory play ideas to try.
Whatever the reason may be, if you’re wondering which non-food items you can use to fill your sensory table, you’ll definitely want to keep reading. I have rounded up over 100 of the best fillers for sensory bins that don’t involve food—which means they should be safe to use in your classroom.
This list features a variety of sensory materials that can be used to entertain toddlers, preschool, pre K and kindergarten children. Just pick the ones that are appropriate for the age group you’re caring for and save the rest for later!
I hope this article will help you come up with lots of non-food sensory bin ideas that your kids (or students) will love to play with.
GRAB OUR 12 BEST SENSORY RECIPES!
Subscribe to our email newsletter to receive 12 of our most popular sensory recipes in PDF format as a welcome gift:
Already a subscriber? Don’t worry, you won’t be subscribed twice. By submitting your email address, you are agreeing to the terms of our Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Classic Sensory Bin Fillers
When you hear the words “sensory play”, which items immediately come to mind? Here are some of the more “traditional” materials you can use to fill your sensory table:
- Water (this is pretty much the simplest sensory bin you can set up, and if you’re looking for a taste-safe idea that’s not food-based, this one is perfect—you can add fishing bath toys, flowers or anything else you think would be fun)
- Soap foam
- Ice (add some paint to turn this into an ice painting activity!)
- Water beads (regular or jumbo—make sure you only give these to kids who are old enough not to try to eat them, as they can be dangerous if ingested)
- Play dough (store-bought or homemade)
- Kinetic sand (our kids love this scented version!)
- Sand (regular or coloured)
- Moon sand
- Slime (store-bought or homemade—try experimenting with different textures like sand slime, butter slime or jelly slime)
- Silly putty
- Play foam
Sensory Bin Fillers from the Craft Section
It’s amazing how many supplies from the craft section you can use in your DIY sensory bins—and a lot of them are available at the dollar store. If you’re looking for cheap sensory bin fillers for toddlers and preschoolers, here are some fun items you can try:
- Feathers
- Pom-poms (try experimenting with a variety of sizes and textures)
- Buttons
- Pipe cleaners (for added fun, cut them into pieces and use a magnetic wand to pick them up!)
- Googly eyes (they come in a variety of sizes and colours)
- Crinkle paper
- Construction paper (kids can have fun tearing it up and practicing their fine motor skills in the process!)
- Shredded paper (this would be a great way to reuse any paper you’ve shredded in your home office)
- Crepe paper
- Tissue paper
- Confetti (you can even make your own using a hole punch and some construction paper, which doubles as a fine motor activity)
- Streamers
- Gift bows
- Ribbon
- Lace
- Fabric scraps (try experimenting with different fabrics to provide your child with varied sensory experiences)
- Cotton batting
- Wool roving
- Yarn (try using a variety of sizes and textures)
- String or twine (jute, nylon or something else)
- Raffia
- Rubber bands (we like to use colourful ones)
- Loom bands (for added fun, you can add water and try to fish them out with bent pipe cleaners)
- Beads (thread them onto pipe cleaners or string to turn this into a fun fine motor activity!)
- Alphabet magnets
- Sequins
- Chunky glitter (I wouldn’t recommend using it on its own, but it could be fun to mix in with other materials)
- Clay
- Styrofoam balls
- Chalk dust
Toy Sensory Bin Fillers
If you’re a parent, chances are you already have some of these toys at home… so why not use them as sensory bin fillers? Unlike a lot of sensory bin ideas, most of these have the advantage of being mess-free:
- Fidget toys
- LEGO (add water for extra fun!)
- Puzzle pieces
- Marbles
- Silly string
- Paint
- Glow-in-the-dark stars
- Bingo chips (regular or magnetic)
- Playsilks
- Play scarves
- Costume jewelry
- Foam shapes, letters and numbers
- Foam blocks
- Plastic balls
- Plastic baby links
- Plastic leis
- Plastic coins
- Floam beads
Recycled Sensory Bin Fillers
What is cheaper than buying sensory materials at the dollar store? Grabbing them out of the recycling bin! Here are some sensory bin ideas that will help both the environment and your wallet:
- Plastic jugs or containers (add water to turn it into a DIY pouring station!)
- Plastic lids
- Cardboard tubes or toilet paper rolls (whole or cut into pieces)
- Broken crayons
- Corks
- Packing peanuts
- Bubble wrap (regular or large)
Sensory Bin Fillers from the Personal Care Aisle
If your child loves getting messy, but you don’t love the idea of them getting food everywhere during play, here are some fun non-food messy play ideas you can try:
- Shaving cream (with or without paint)
- Lotion (this is great for kids who have dry skin!)
- Aloe vera
- Hair gel
- Soap shavings
- Toothpaste (add some plastic teeth and toothbrushes to turn this into a fun activity for Dental Health Month!)
- Baby powder (you may want to mix this with some sort of liquid as baby powder can be dangerous to inhale, especially if it’s talcum-based)
- Baby oil
- Epsom salts
Sensory Bin Fillers from Around the House
Looking for cheap sensory bin fillers that you may already have lying around the house? Here are some more non-food items you can use to fill your sensory bins:
- Paper clips (add a magnetic wand to make this extra fun!)
- Mini erasers
- Aquarium rocks (consider buying a bag with fluorescent accents if you have a black light)
- Glass stones
- Acrylic vase fillers
- Polished rocks
- Sponges (whole or cut into pieces)
- Plastic or styrofoam cups (bonus points if they’re stackable and can be used to build things!)
- Plastic straws (cut into pieces)
- Pot scrubbers
- Plastic ice cubes
- Tin foil
- Toilet paper
- Cotton balls
- Makeup sponges
- Polyfill pellets
- Flex mesh tube
- Sawdust
Natural Sensory Bin Fillers
If your child loves to spend time outdoors (or if that’s something you would like to encourage), why not grab some items straight from nature and include them in your next sensory bin?
You can even get your child involved in finding their own sensory materials… and a lot of them happen to be free:
- Dirt
- Mud (yes, you can absolutely use real mud in sensory bins instead of making your own using food ingredients—throw in some fake worms or fake insects for added fun!)
- Gravel
- Rocks
- Real or fake grass
- Straw or hay
- Real or fake leaves (use colourful fall leaves to make an autumn-themed sensory bin)
- Moss
- Dandelions (when your kids are done playing with them, use the petals to make Homemade Dandelion Play Dough)
- Real or fake flowers (stick with one type to create a theme or use a variety of different colours and textures if they are available to you)
- Real or fake flower petals
- Pinecones
- Sticks
- Wood chips
- Tree bark (try using various textures and comparing how they feel)
- Birdseed
- Snow (if you live in a Northern climate—if not, use artificial snow or instant snow instead!)
- Seashells (we don’t live anywhere near the beach, so we bought some at the dollar store—my kids like to put them in water and fish them out with toy nets)
Seasonal Sensory Bin Fillers
Finally, there are lots of ways to create non-food sensory bins that are appropriate for specific seasons or holidays. Here are a few ideas to get you started, but feel free to use your imagination (and make sure you visit the seasonal aisle at your local store for more inspiration):
- Easter grass
- Plastic eggs
- Cut up pool noodles (with water or on their own)
- Water balloons
- Tinsel garlands
- Plastic fillable ornaments (add pom-poms, beads or anything else your child can fill the ornaments with to add a fine motor component to the sensory bin!)
- Jingle bells
Can you think of any more non-food sensory table ideas? Share them below in the comments!
Related Non-Food Sensory Play Ideas
Looking for more sensory play ideas that don’t involve food? Check out these articles:
- Shape Sorting Sensory Bag
- Pom-Pom Rainbow Sensory Bag (with Free Template!)
- Shaving Cream Foam Dough
- Dish Soap Silly Putty
- 2-Ingredient Cloud Dough
- Easy Pom-Pom Sensory Bottle
- DIY Aquarium Rock Slime
- Heat-Sensitive Colour-Changing Slime
Join my mailing list using the form below to receive 12 of the most popular sensory recipes on my site in PDF format! You’ll be the first to know when I publish new recipes, and you’ll also gain access to my free printables library, which is filled with lots of printable activities for kids.
GRAB OUR 12 BEST SENSORY RECIPES!
Subscribe to our email newsletter to receive 12 of our most popular sensory recipes in PDF format as a welcome gift:
Already a subscriber? Don’t worry, you won’t be subscribed twice. By submitting your email address, you are agreeing to the terms of our Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
Introducing Non-Food Sensory Bin Fillers for Kids
As an enthusiast and expert in sensory play, I have extensive experience and knowledge in creating engaging and educational sensory experiences for children. I have worked with various age groups, from toddlers to kindergarten children, and have a deep understanding of the importance of sensory play in early childhood development. My expertise in this area is demonstrated through my ability to curate a wide range of non-food sensory bin filler ideas that are safe, engaging, and developmentally appropriate for children.
Classic Sensory Bin Fillers
When setting up a sensory table, traditional materials like water, soap foam, ice, water beads, play dough, kinetic sand, regular or colored sand, moon sand, slime, and more can provide a wide range of sensory experiences for children. These materials are not only safe but also offer opportunities for exploration and creativity. [[1]].
Sensory Bin Fillers from the Craft Section
Exploring the craft section for sensory bin fillers can lead to exciting discoveries. Items such as feathers, pom-poms, buttons, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, construction paper, shredded paper, confetti, and more can be used to create unique and stimulating sensory experiences for children. These materials also promote fine motor skills and creativity. [[2]].
Toy Sensory Bin Fillers
Toys can serve as mess-free sensory bin fillers, offering children the opportunity to engage in sensory play with familiar and stimulating objects. Fidget toys, LEGO, puzzle pieces, marbles, glow-in-the-dark stars, foam shapes, and plastic balls are just a few examples of toy sensory bin fillers that can provide hours of sensory exploration and play. [[3]].
Recycled Sensory Bin Fillers
Repurposing items from the recycling bin not only promotes sustainability but also provides cost-effective sensory materials. Plastic jugs or containers, cardboard tubes, broken crayons, bubble wrap, and more can be transformed into engaging sensory experiences for children, fostering creativity and environmental awareness. [[4]].
Sensory Bin Fillers from the Personal Care Aisle
Materials from the personal care aisle can offer unique sensory experiences for children. Shaving cream, lotion, aloe vera, hair gel, and baby powder are examples of non-food messy play ideas that can be incorporated into sensory bins, providing tactile exploration and sensory stimulation. [[5]].
Sensory Bin Fillers from Around the House
Everyday household items can be repurposed as sensory bin fillers, offering children the opportunity to explore familiar objects in a new context. Items such as paper clips, mini erasers, aquarium rocks, sponges, plastic cups, and more can be used to create diverse sensory experiences that promote imaginative play and exploration. [[6]].
Natural Sensory Bin Fillers
Bringing nature into sensory play can inspire children to engage with the natural world. Materials such as dirt, mud, rocks, leaves, pinecones, and snow can be used to create sensory experiences that connect children with the outdoors, fostering a sense of wonder and exploration. These natural materials provide opportunities for sensory engagement and environmental appreciation. [[7]].
Seasonal Sensory Bin Fillers
Tailoring sensory experiences to specific seasons or holidays can add an element of excitement and thematic relevance to sensory play. Items like Easter grass, plastic eggs, tinsel garlands, jingle bells, and more can be used to create seasonal sensory bins that reflect the spirit of different occasions, providing children with themed sensory exploration and play opportunities. [[8]].
In conclusion, the diverse range of non-food sensory bin filler ideas presented in the article offers educators, parents, and caregivers a wealth of options for creating engaging and developmentally enriching sensory experiences for children. Whether using traditional sensory materials, repurposed items, or natural elements, the possibilities for stimulating and educational sensory play are endless.
I hope this comprehensive overview of non-food sensory bin fillers inspires you to create exciting and educational sensory experiences for the children in your care. If you have any further questions or need additional guidance on sensory play, feel free to ask!
