What makes this beach sensory bottle unique is that we made it using kinetic sand. This ensures that the sand stays separate from the water. We used shells that the kids picked at the beach on Vancouver Island a few years ago, making it a nice way to tie memories into their sensory play. We love Vancouver Island. One of our sons was born there so vacationing there always creates special memories.

At the Beach Sensory Bottle

Materials needed:

• water bottle (I used a Voss bottle)
• water
• blue food colouring
• kinetic sand
• blue glass beads or sea glass
• seashells
• optional: hot glue

Empty the water out of the water bottle. I know that seems backwards since you’ll be adding water back in, so you can pour it into a measuring cup to use in the bottle afterwards. Fill the bottle about a third of the way with the kinetic sand. Using a funnel makes this easier to do.

Kinetic Sand – Beach SandVOSS Water Plastic BottlesSea Glass

Mix two drops of food colouring into the water and fill the bottle most of the way to the top with the blue water. Drop in the water beads and seashells. Put the top back on the sensory bottle. If you want to, you can secure it in place with hot glue.

The kinetic sand creates a lovely beach effect when a child tips the bottle or shakes it up. This beach sensory bottle is a nice way to bring the beach home with you, particularly if you use seashells that your child gathered in the sand themselves.

Are you looking for other easy sensory activities that can actually be created at home? Join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities (just pop your email into the box below) and get a printable list of 175 Great Sensory Ideas.

Ocean Sensory Bottle

Squishy Shark Sensory Bag

Are your girls as obsessed with mermaids as mine are? Ever since they got their Fin Fun Mermaid Tails, they have been swimming like mermaids, reading about mermaids, drawing mermaids, and pretending to be mermaids. I made them a squishy mermaid sensory bag which they really enjoyed, so I decided to make them another mermaid themed sensory item. This glittery mermaid sensory bottle creates a wonderful calm down effect.

Mermaid Sensory Bottle

Materials needed:

• water bottle (I used a Voss bottle)
• mermaid-like glitter
• blue flower sequins
• liquid hand soap
• pink mermaid scale looking washi tape
• optional: hot glue

Empty water out of the sensory bottle and fill most of the way with liquid hand soap. Drop in the sequins and a lot of glitter. The key to making this sensory bottle look like a mermaid tail is to use a lot of glitter. Add more than you think you should! Put the lid back on the sensory bottle, securing it with hot glue if you want it to stay in place. Give it a good shake.

Mermaid, Extra Fine Poly GlitterVOSS Water Plastic BottlesLiquid Hand Soap

Wrap some of the washi tape around the lid. I only put one piece, but if you wanted to, you could cover the whole lid for a different look.

I used many of the same items to create a squishy mermaid sensory bag. My girls were big fans!

Join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities (just pop your email into the box below) and get a printable list of 175 Great Sensory Ideas.

Ocean Discovery BottlePretty Princess Sensory Bottle

Superheroes are universally appealing for boys and girls which is one of the best things about this sensory bottle. It is also so simple to create. We used similar items last month to create a superheroes sensory bag.

Superheroes Sensory Bottle

Materials needed:

• water bottle (I used a Voss bottle)
• superheroes stickers (the ones I used happened to be glow-in-the-dark ones)
• Spiderman squishy head
• liquid hand soap
• optional: hot glue

To assemble this sensory bottle, empty the water out of the water bottle and fill it about a quarter of the way up with liquid hand soap. Add a few of the superheroes stickers. Squeeze the squishy head to be able to get it through the opening of the bottle and push it in. Add another layer of the liquid hand soap and a few more stickers. Finish it off with more of the liquid soap before putting the lid back on the bottle.

If you will be giving this superheroes sensory bottle to younger children, you may want to use hot glue to secure the lid.

A tip for getting your sensory bottle to look the way you want it to:

Before adding the lid back onto the sensory bottle, use a bamboo skewer to push down, push over, turn around, and maneuver the stickers to the place you want them to be in. This way the front of the stickers will be facing outwards.

If you’re looking for other simple sensory activities, join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities and get your Sensory System Behaviours Easy Reference Cards.

We used many of these same items to make a Superheroes Sensory Bag which the kids really enjoyed as well.

Superheroes Sensory Bag for SuperkidsWeighted Space Sensory Bottle

After the popularity of our American Girls Sensory Bag, I decided to use the same items and create an American Girls Sensory Bottle.

American Girls Sensory Bottle

Materials needed:

• water bottle (I used a Voss bottle)
• American Girls mini figures
• liquid hand soap (I used a grapefruit hand soap because I thought the pink tint went well with this sensory bottle theme)
• optional: hot glue

Empty the water bottle and fill it most of the way with the liquid hand soap before dropping in the American Girls mini figures. Place the lid back on the bottle.

If you’re using the sensory bottle with younger children, you will want to secure the lid in place with hot glue.

You can customize this sensory bottle easily by choosing different mini figures. If you want to expand on this activity or get more use from the American Girl doll mini figures, you can create an American Girls Sensory Bag when you’re finished with the sensory bottle.

Looking for more simple and fun sensory activities? Join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities and get your Sensory System Behaviours Easy Reference Cards.

Pretty Princess Sensory Bottle

Spring Sensory Bottle