sensory bottles

Recently, we discovered a new way to bring excitement to our sensory bottles by making mini ones in little play test tubes. This Zoo Mini Sensory Bottle is so cute.

Zoo Mini Sensory Bottle:

Supplies needed:

• mini bottle (we used plastic test tube treat containers like these)
• clear dish soap
• mini zoo animals
• tiny white beads
• brown, black, and green mini elastics (like the Rainbow Loom kind)
• optional: hot glue

Directions:

1. Pour clear dish soap into a mini bottle until it’s about half full.
2. Drop in the tiny animals.
3. Add in sequins and glitter.
4. If there’s any room left in the bottle, fill the the top with water.
5. Replace the lid. If using with small children, you can secure the lid with hot glue.

With any other sensory play activity including this one, adult supervision is recommended. Even with the lid glued in place, it can be opened by determined kids or when the glue gets old. The bottle contains small parts that could be a choking hazard for kids.

This mini sensory bottle allows kids to bring it with them anywhere. It can be tucked into the seatback pocket of the vehicle, put in your child’s backpack, kept on their bedside table, or included in their calm down kit.

This adorable mini calm down bottle engages both the visual and tactile sensory systems. Because the glitter and sequins stay suspended in the dish soap and fall slowly as it is turned, it also produces a calming effect. Kids can watch the items fall slowly as they work on regulating their breathing.

If you’re looking for other sensory play ideas, join us for a five day email series on Sensory Activities and Solutions. You’ll also get a free sample of our Sensory Play Recipes eBook.

Check out our other mini sensory bottles for kids:

Football Mini Sensory Bottle

Baseball Mini Sensory Bottle

Girls (and some boys!) are going to go crazy over this Unicorns and Fairies Sensory Bottle. It’s so pretty that it could even be used as a bedroom or playroom decoration when they are finished playing with it.

Unicorns and Fairies Sensory Bottle:

Supplies needed:

• empty water bottle (I prefer the look of Voss bottles or craft store sensory bottles)
• clear dish soap (Dawn or LemiShine are good because they are thicker)
• small unicorn and fairy figurines (you can often find these in the party favour section of the Dollar Store or Target)
• purple glitter
• pink, purple, teal, and white pony beads
• small flower gems
• short ribbon curls in pink, purple, teal, and white
• optional: Superglue to seal

Directions:

1. Cut short lengths of ribbon. Use scissors to curl them.
2. Pour clear dish soap into the container until it’s 2/3 full.
3. Add the glitter, unicorn and fairy toys, beads, ribbon curls, and flowers.
4. Fill any remaining space with water.
5. Replace the lid. If you’re going to be using with younger kids, then I recommend that you super glue the lid in place and allow the glue to dry before giving it to your child to play with.

As with all sensory activities for kids, adult supervision is recommended at all times. Even if you’ve Superglued the lid in place, it can still come off and the bottle contains small parts which are choking hazards.

Sensory and Learning Opportunities:

This Unicorns and Fairies Sensory Bottle allows children to engage their visual, tactile, and proprioceptive sensory systems.

Kids can practise counting as their count the unicorns and fairies. They can get it some colour and counting learning as they count how many pink flowers there are or how many purple ribbons.

Are you looking for more easy sensory play recipes? Join us for a five day email series on Sensory Activities and Solutions and get a free sample of our Sensory Play Recipes eBook.

Discover some of our other creative sensory bottles:

Van Gogh Inspired Starry Night Sensory Bottle

At the Beach Natural Sensory Bottle

Bedtime Calming Sensory Bottle

I love this Dinosaur Sensory Bottle. I know it’s a gender stereotype to say that pink is for girls, but the reality is that it still is generally thought to be more of a feminine colour. So what I love about this is that it takes what is typically thought to be a boy interest (dinosaurs) and pairs it with colours typically associated with girls.

What is created is a sensory experience perfect for boys and girls.

Dinosaur Sensory Bottle:

Supplies needed:

• empty water bottle (I prefer the look of Voss bottles or craft store sensory bottles)
• clear dish soap (Dawn or LemiShine are good because they are thicker)
• brightly coloured dinosaur figurines
• orange and gold glitter
• orange, white, blue, and peach pony beads and smaller beads
• green mini rubber bands (like the Rainbow Loom elastics you probably have laying around the house!)
• optional: Superglue or hot glue to seal the bottle cap

Directions:

1. Pour enough clear dish soap into the bottle to make it 2/3 full.
2. Add the glitter, mini rubber bands, dinosaur toys, and coloured beads.
3. Fill the rest of the container with water.
4. Put the lid back on. If you’re going to be using this sensory bottle with young children, then I suggest that you superglue the lid in place or use hot glue to secure. Be sure to let the glue dry before giving it to your child to play with.

Adult supervision should be used at all times when kids are playing with this activity. Even if you glue the lid in place, it can come off especially over time. The bottle contains small parts which are choking hazards.

Sensory and Learning Opportunities:

The visual, tactile, and proprioceptive sensory systems and engaged when using the dinosaur sensory bottle.

This sensory bottle can be used for a dinosaur unit study at home or in the classroom. Here are some other suggestions for interactive sensory learning about dinosaurs:

Dinosaur Fossils in Playdough

Dinosaur Sensory Bin

Dinosaur Slime

Gross Motor Dinosaur Action Cube

Are you wanting more easy sensory play ideas? Join us for a five day email series on Sensory Activities and Solutions and get a free sample of our Sensory Play Recipes eBook.

Awww, this activity is so fun and so cute! Kids can explore their interest in outer space with this Astronaut Sensory Bottle. It engages the senses and the mind.

Astronaut Sensory Bottle:

Supplies needed:

• empty water bottle (I prefer the look of Voss bottles or craft store sensory bottles)
• clear dish soap (Dawn or LemiShine are a good thickness for this)
• astronaut and rocket erasers
• glow in the dark mini ceiling stars
• small teal and green rubber bands (like the Rainbow Loom ones)
• silver glitter
• optional: Superglue or hot glue to seal the top of the bottle

Directions:

1. Pour clear dish soap into the bottle to 2/3 of the way full.
2. Add the glitter, mini rubber bands, space erasers, and ceiling stars.
3. Fill up to the top with water.
4. Put the lid back on. If you’re going to use with younger kids, then it’s best to superglue the lid in place or secure with hot glue. Be sure to allow the glue time to dry before giving it to a child to play with.

As with all of our sensory activities, adult supervision should be used. Even if you have glued the lid in place, it can still come off. The bottle contains small parts which are choking hazards so always use caution.

This activity has an added bonus. Because of the ceiling stars, it is glow-in-the-dark. Just be sure to leave it in the light long enough to charge and then the sensory bottle will glow. Some kids may be comforted by bringing their glowing bottle into their room with them at night.

Sensory and Learning Opportunities:

This Astronaut Sensory Bottle engages the visual, tactile, and the proprioceptive sensory systems.

If you’re doing a unit study on the Solar System, you can set out this Astronaut Sensory Bottle as a hands-on addition to your studies. When kids incorporate their senses into their learning, they show better retention. You can set up an entire Space Sensory Station at home or in your classroom to encourage learning.

Here are some other activities that would work well at your Space Sensory Station:

Glow in the Dark Solar System Sensory Bin

Space Sensory Bottle

Are you looking for more simple sensory play recipes? Join us for a five day email series on Sensory Activities and Solutions and get yourself a free sample of our Sensory Play Recipes eBook.

This Mermaid Calm Down Bottle is so pretty. Children are mesmerized as they watch items slowly drift down towards the bottom which helps them to regulate their breathing and regain focus when upset.

Mermaid Calm Down Bottle:

Supplies needed:

• empty water bottle (I prefer the look of Voss bottles or sensory bottles from the craft store)
• clear dish soap (Dawn or LemiShine are good because they are thicker)
• small mermaid figures (I used stretchy ones from the Dollar Store)
• white and pink glitter
• teal sequins
• pink, purple, teal, and white pony beads
• optional: Superglue to seal the bottle top

Directions:

1. Pour clear dish soap into the container until it’s 2/3 full.
2. Add the glitter, beads, sequins, and mermaid toys.
3. Fill the leftover space with water.
4. Replace the lid. If younger kids will be playing with the bottle, then I recommend that you use Superglue or hot glue to secure the lid in place.  Allow the glue to dry before giving it to your child to play with.

As with all sensory activities for kids, adult supervision is required at all times. Even if you have glued the lid in place, it can come off and the bottle contains small parts which are choking hazards.

Sensory and Learning Opportunities:

This Mermaid Calm Down Bottle allows children to explore through the visual, tactile, and proprioceptive sensory systems.

While this bottle can be used as a tool for improving communication and discussing colours, it’s main purpose is to serve as sensory input and as a calming tool. The thick dish soap allows the glitter, sequins, beads, and mermaid toys to fall more slowly through the bottle than they would in water. It really is quite calming to watch  (even for adults!).

As your child watches the items travel through the bottle, encourage them to slow down their breathing. This often happens naturally. Give them simple verbal reminders such as “in through your nose, out through your mouth” or sit nearby and slow down your own breathing to model it for them.

I use this tool when I see one of my kids struggling to regulate their emotions or behaviour. I will often just wordlessly shake up the bottle and set it in front of my child. They begin watching it automatically and I can see their breathing begin to slow almost immediately. It’s a bit like magic actually!Looking for more sensory play ideas? Join us for a five day email series on Sensory Activities and Solutions and get a free sample of our Sensory Play Recipes eBook.

Find ideas for other calm down bottles:

Lego Sensory Bottle

Glow in the Dark Sensory Bottle

Spring Sensory Bottle

It’s amazing how simple it is to make a Valentine’s Calm Down Bottle. Using common items, you can create a Valentine themed sensory bottle that provides calming feedback.

Valentine’s Calm Down Bottle:

Supplies needed:

• empty plastic water bottle (I prefer the look of either the craft store sensory bottles or the Voss water bottles)
• Elmer’s Clear School Glue
• warm water
• heart confetti
• mini heart pink glitter
• red glitter
• optional: hot glue or Superglue

Directions:

1. Fill the water bottle about half full with glue.
2. Add warm water until the bottle is more than three quarters full and seal with the lid. Shake well to combine the glue with the water.
3. Add the glitter and confetti to the bottle.
4. Seal the jar again and shake well. If the confetti and glitter don’t move as easily as you want them to, you can add more warm water. If the glitter or confetti move too quickly, then add additional glue. When the contents of the sensory bottle move the way you want them to, seal the bottle.
5. If you’re going to be handing the bottle to young children, you’ll want to use hot glue or Superglue to secure the lid. Allow the glue to fully dry before they begin play.

Even if you have secured the lid with glue, adult supervision should be used with this or any other sensory activities.

As the glitter and heart confetti move slowly through the liquid, it can be quite mesmerizing to watch. Kids (or adults) who watch the falling colour usually experience a slowing of their heart rate and the effect of helping regulate their emotions.

Combine that with the sensory benefits of tactile, visual, and proprioceptive input and this really does become a calm down bottle.

Are you looking for more easy sensory play ideas? Join me for a five day email series on Sensory Activities and Solutions and get a free sample of our Sensory Play Recipes eBook.

Check out some of our other Valentines sensory activities:

Heart Shaped Valentine’s Sensory Bin

Valentine’s Sensory Bottle