50+ Non Food Bases for Sensory Bins

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Sensory bins invoke a lot of questions like where do you find the containers, what items do you use for bases, and what do you actually put in a sensory bin. Today I’m going to share with you a huge list of 50+ Non Food bases for sensory bins.

First what exactly is a sensory bin? In a nutshell, a sensory bin is a safe way for children to explore objects with their hands. Sensory bins allow for tactile and visual exploration in a contained area. Sensory bins can also include the other sense by being edible (gustatory), having a scent (olfactory), or making noise (auditory).

50+ Non Food Bases for Sensory Bins

These 50+ Non Food Bases for Sensory Bins are meant for kids to touch and sometimes smell. When using any of theses bases with kids under 3, please watch them carefully as some of the bases could be a chocking hazard and probably just taste terrible. Exercise caution with the non food bases that could pose a choking hazard.

Kitchen items:

• Aluminum foil
• Coffee grounds
• Rainbow rice, pasta, or coconut
• Bubbles – dish soap and water
• Paper Towel Rolls

Craft supplies:

• Buttons
• Fabric pieces
• Confetti
• Feathers
• Tinsel
• Pom-poms
• Glitter
• Jewels
• Leaves – fake
• Jute/twine
• Tissue Paper
• Flowers – fake
• Easter Grass
• Beads
• Corks
• Ribbons
• Yarn
• Water beads

Garden items:

• Birdseed
• Hay
• Leaves – real
• Grass – real or artifical
• Dirt
• Mud
• Snow – real or fake
• Pebbles
• Rocks
• Seashells
• Sand
• Sticks
• Potting soil
• Flowers – real

Home office:

• Bubble wrap
• Packing peanuts
• Paper – shredded
• Cardboard pieces
• Rubberbands
• Paperclips

Bathroom items:

• Cotton balls
• Lotion
• Epsom salt
• Hair gel
• Aloe
• Shaving cream
• Toilet paper rolls
• Bubbles – bubble bath and water

Kids toys:

• Play foam
• Play dough
• Kinetic sand
• Slime

Miscellaneous:

• Mardi gras bead necklaces
• Metal Nuts
• Coins – real or fake

Be sure to stop by my Homeschool Sensory Exploration page where I link all of our sensory bins. And if you are looking for more homeschool activities, make sure you check out my Homeschool page which contains links to our book lists, art & crafts, and math & science.

Have a great day!

Brandi

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Looking for more fun sensory bins? Check out my Homeschool: Sensory Exploration board on Pinterest!