Edible Non Toxic Sensory Kinetic Sand Recipe for Kids

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I’ve been introducing my toddler to sensory play and you can make your own kinetic sand recipe too! It’s non-toxic and turns out great! It’s like a sand consistency but clumps together too. And by far cheaper than actual kinetic sand!

It has a textured feel like of Kinetic Sand or Moon Sand. Our alternatives to snow sensory recipes have also been very popular! 

finished sensory bin with edible non toxic homemade kinetic sand

Is kinetic sand toxic?

This recipe is (technically) edible since it’s made from all food ingredients that most people keep stocked in their kitchen but of course it’s not meant for actual snacking.

It’s perfect for my little one who still puts things in their mouth!

How can I make edible kinetic sand at home?

You can easily make this diy kinetic sand recipe a gluten free / allergy friendly recipe by substituting out which ingredient you need. Just follow my homemade kinetic sand recipe below – it only needs 4 ingredients!

How to Make Kinetic Sand Sensory Recipe:

Ingredients Needed:

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal
  • 1 Tbsp. oil (any kind)
  • 1 Tbsp. corn syrup

Combine 1/2 cup flour with 1/2 cup cornmeal. Then mix in 1 Tbsp. oil (any kind) and 1 Tbsp. corn syrup. That’s it! If you really want to extend your experiment you can drop just a dab of food coloring gel into the oil and mix well, but don’t add too much unless you want stained hands!

kinetic sand sensory bin with kid's toys

If it runs a touch on the drier side add a touch more oil in your next recipe. This stuff feels amazing to play with! I even enjoy using it while my toddler is playing!

It’s a nice beach looking color which makes it fun to use for summer outdoor play. In fact once it warms up I’ll be making a giant batch of this stuff for use in our sand table on the porch.

This kinetic sand recipe works perfect too with Safari Ltd. TOOBS which are our favorite because of their variety of species and themes as well as high quality.

This makes a GREAT NON-CANDY alternative for Valentine’s Day and Easter gift basket gifts! Check out this FREE Printable “Sand Love Note” for your gifts to pass out to friends and classmates!

dinosaur sensory activity book

How Do I Store Kinetic Sand?

I store ours in an airtight container or Ziploc bag and kept it for months when essentially my daughter had spilled it all and had none left! In fact I keep a variety of preschool Sensory Recipes available in the house to play with that are different colors and consistencies.

I don’t have time to make new recipes every time we play so I really focus on those I can make once and keep for a long time!

Our Snow Sensory Alternatives also last in airtight containers as long as you want them!

Is it Safe for My Toddler to Play with Kinetic Sand?

This homemade kinetic sand recipe is safe for toddlers since it is made with kitchen ingredients and is non-toxic! If your child puts some in their mouth it won’t hurt them! This makes it taste safe and is even a fun project for older kids to make.

Check out our art sand project:

Other Activities for Kids:

live animal web cams virtual field trips
suncatcher tissue paper preschool craftRainforest Mud Slime Tutorial for Sensory Play
20+ Salt Dough Art Activities for Kidsno sew toys tutorial for kids

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16 Comments

  1. Karen martin says:

    I love this I work with 6 months to 12 months and am always looking for new sensory things to do. Its very hard to fine things for such a young age.

  2. Angelique Mohnickey says:

    Can we add food coloring to the sand recipe?

  3. Shelby Pierson says:

    “It is not safe to eat raw flour. Food Poisoning Bulletin warns that raw flour can contain pathogenic bacteria, and eating it can cause illness. Along with avoiding the consumption of any uncooked flour, it is important to treat raw flour the same as other potentially dangerous uncooked ingredients.”

    I love this idea & would like to try it, but maybe try baking it for a little on a baking tray. I didnt always know that raw flour could potentially make you sick. But ido know h dont want anyone getting sick, so i thought id put my two cents in!

  4. Bonnie Alcorn says:

    Should the oatmeal be ground up in a blender?

  5. Did this have the same clean up effect that Kinetic Sand has? Where it didn’t stick to hands and was very easy to clean from a tile floor? I’ve heard moon sand can make tile floors slippery, so am looking for an alternative that is still “edible”.

    1. Yes it is quite similar to Kinetic Sand. Although we love moon sand it is EXTREMELY messy! This kinetic sand recipe does not stick to our hands like moon sand. Give it a try!

  6. Any substitution suggestions for corn syrup?

      1. Hello.. can I use sugar syrup instead of corn syrup? It’s difficult to find that here in South Africa… thanks

    1. R. McClintick says:

      You might find that a substitute like white OR other colored canned beans when blended OR mashed can provide a similar syrup aspect if you don’t drain the juice. The gooey change using a fake sweetener may work BUT it’s also likely to dry out faster, but the addition of a gelatin can also work, as long as you don’t cool the mix, once it’s slightly cool the gelatin can be gooeyish.

  7. If I use food coloring, will my child’s hands be dyed every time she plays with it?

  8. Jazzy's Mama says:

    This is such a great idea! I have avoided adding sand to my daughter’s sand & water table because she still trys to put things in her mouth. This is perfect, can’t wait to give it a try!

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