Do you need some non food sensory bin fillers to use in your sensory bins? Although rice and dried beans may be common sensory bin fillers, you don’t have to use food items! Take a look at all the awesome non food sensory bin fillers that are just as simple to find and set up! Although we use our fair share of rice here, I have become sensitive to those who have ethical concerns with playing with food sensory bin fillers. I understand and respect these choices, so I want to provide my awesome readers with these unique non food sensory ideas to bring sensory play into the house or classroom!
 Non Food Sensory Bin Fillers
WHY IS SENSORY PLAY SO IMPORTANT?
Sensory play for young children is extremely beneficial to development. Using sensory bins for early childhood development provides a highly engaging environment from which to learn both academically and emotionally. Connect with your kids and allow them to connect with other kids through the use of sensory bins. Older toddlers, preschoolers, and even older kids will benefit greatly. Please use your best judgment when choosing sensory bin fillers for young kids!
Please check out my articles all about sensory bins and sensory play for great information!
All About Sensory Bins: 5 Things You Should Know
Ultimate Tactile Sensory Play Guide
FAVORITE NON-FOOD SENSORY BIN FILLERS
Here are our favorite non food sensory bin fillers to try! They are easy to find, inexpensive, and just as fun as their food counterparts. These non food sensory bins are perfect for the whole year! Click on the links below to find great ways to play with these non food sensory bin fillers! I am sure you will find the perfect non food sensory bin filler to use right away!
Also try… Pompoms, Straws, Yarn, Buttons, and Artificial Flowers!
The possibilities are endless to fill your sensory bins or tubs with non food sensory bin items! Soapy water is fun too!
AQUARIUMÂ ROCKSÂ
Books And Bins Sensory Play (above)
Ocean Recycling Sensory Play And Learning
Magnetic Fishing Game And Sensory Play
COLORED SAND OR BEACH SAND
Dinosaur Excavation Sensory Play
Christmas Green Sand Sensory Bin
Creating With Sand And Sand Sensory Bin Play
EPSOM SALTS
Want to make colored Epsom Salts? How to Color Epsom Salt for Sensory Play
Winter Construction Salt Sensory Tray and Letter Writing Activity
ROCKS, PEBBLES, STONES
Water Displacement And Sensory Play Activity
Icy Dinosaurs Excavation (sensory play with rocks too)Â
GRASSES {ARTIFICIAL}
Easter Early Learning Sensory Play
SHREDDED PAPER or SHREDDED PRESENT FILLER
Recycled Paper Sensory Play (above) Two Ways: Dry and Wet
Dinosaur Hatching Early Learning Sensory Play And Activity
FAKE SNOW
Winter Sensory Play and Early Learning Ideas
POLY FIL PELLETS
BIRDSEED
Birdseed Simple Sensory Play Bin
WOODEN BEADS
Apple Wooden Beads Sensory Bin
 
 NATURAL ELEMENTS
Click on photos for details!
MAKE SOAP FOAM
We hope you have found a fun new Non Food sensory bin filler to try or new ways to use the non food sensory bin fillers you already have! Happy playing!
FUN NON FOOD SENSORY BIN FILLERS FOR KIDS!
Click on the photo below to find more awesome non food sensory play ideas! A fun collaborative series.
Amazon Affiliate Products We Use!
What’s your suggestion for the best area to set these up? Outdoors? Kitchen? Do you leave them available for the kids or only for some time of play an then put it up?
Thanks for posting these great ideas – we are not supposed to use food in our sensory bins or crafts
I often use a sensory bin of clear glass marbles (I beleive I got them at IKEA years ago). But they’re great – albeit a little noisy!
Those bags of gems at the craft store they use for vase fillers make great sensory bins but yes noisy!
One thing I learned in all my years of teaching young children – they need a good amount of access to sensory items that can pour, flow over their hands and that they can watch falling.Not just preschoolers, but primary students and beyond. Many of the non-food items don’t meet that requirement. I find so many teachers are more concerned that thier sensory bins are matching their theme, or look pleasing, rather than meeting the children’s needs! Therefore I feel that rice is such a good option, or sand if you have worries about children playing in food. Birdseed (which I think technically is food?) or polyfill beads are good ideas, if you have children who will not injest them. My students often had not outgrown the exploration phase and put everything in thier mouths, so please use caution with everything in the bins if you work with children at that level. My suggestion is that if you change out the bin to something that does not flow – don’t leave it very long, go back often to something that meets the children’s need to pour and experience the movement/flow of the material.