sensory bottles

If you’re a parent, chances are, you’ve got access to Lego. Maybe you’ve even experienced the universal pain of stepping on a piece! If you’ve already got the supplies, this Lego Sensory Bottle is easy and inexpensive to make.

It can be a great calm down tool for kids as they sit and watch, mesmerized by the movement of the slow falling glitter, green bits, and Lego.

This sensory bottle also makes a cute decoration for a playroom or bedroom. And if you’re hosting a Lego themed birthday party, making these as a group is a fun activity. You can then allow guests to take their creations home as a party favour.

Lego 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)
• Lego figurines (also called mini figs)
• white and blue Lego blocks
• small green rubber bands (like the kind you may have leftover from the Rainbow Loom craze!)
• silver glitter
• optional: Super glue to seal the bottle cap

Directions:

1. Pour clear dish soap into the container until it’s 2/3 full.
2. Add the glitter, mini rubber bands, figurines, and Lego pieces.
3. Fill the remaining space with water.
4. 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, adult supervision should be used 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 Lego Sensory Bottle incorporates the visual, tactile, and proprioceptive sensory systems.

Using this visual, kids can work on concepts like colours and counting. They can also work on the math concept of guestimating by guessing how many small elastics there may be in the whole bottle by counting the amount in one section and multiplying that by the number of sections of that size that there are.

As the liquid allows items to move through more slowly than they would through water, kids can focus on the slow falling items to help them regulate their breathing. It creates a calming experience.Are you looking for other 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.

Check out some of our other fun sensory bottles for kids:

Football Mini Sensory Bottle

Shark Sensory Bottle

ABC I-Spy Sensory Bottle

These New Year’s Eve Noisemakers are great for involving kids in the New Year’s celebration. They also provide sensory input and are a good way to use empty water bottles. This New Year’s Eve, let the whole family get in on the festivities with activities such as this easy to make New Year’s Eve Sensory Bottle and these fun Minute to Win It games for all ages.

New Year’s Eve Noisemakers:

Supplies needed:

• water bottles, empty and dry
• glitter paint in gold and silver
• gold and silver glitter
• festive duct tape or washi tape
• jingle bells (about 2 for each noisemaker)
• pony beads (for additional noise if desired)
• foam star stickers
• curling ribbon (we used black, silver, and gold)
• scissors

Directions:

1. Take the lids off from the water bottles and make sure bottles are completely dry on the inside.
2. Squirt about 2 Tablespoons of paint into each bottle (the exact amount depends on the size of the bottle) and replace the lid. Shake the bottle while turning to coat the inside of the bottle with paint.
3. Remove the lids and liberally pour glitter into the bottles. Seal tightly and shake the bottles until all of the glitter has stuck to the paint.
4. Take the lids off again and place the bottles on their side until completely dry inside.
5. Once the paint is dry, add a few bells bells and some beads to each bottle to make as much noise as desired.
6. Close each bottle.
7. To avoid having the lid removed and the excess glitter, beads, and bells being poured out, use decorative tape to cover the lid completely.
8. Decorate the bottle with foam star stickers.
9. Cut curling ribbon so that it’s about 8 inches long. Tie the curling ribbon around the neck of the bottle, making a knot to keep it attached. Use scissors to curl the ends of the ribbon.

Sensory Opportunities:

Essentially, these are just fancy sensory sound bottles. Homemade New Year’s Eve Noisemakers engage the visual, auditory, tactile, and proprioceptive sensory systems.

Meeting your child’s sensory needs can help them better regulate their emotions and behaviour. And as a parent or educator, I’m sure you know that sometimes that comes in extra handy around the holidays!

Check out these other New Year’s activities for kids:

New Year’s Eve Sensory Bottle

Minute to Win It Games

Help kids ring in the New Year with an easy to make sensory activity. Since that evening tends to hold a lot of excitement, this New Year’s Eve Sensory Bottle can also double as a calm down bottle. This can potentially come in very handy for both parents and child!

A few years ago, we made a New Year’s Sensory Bottle, but I decided that it may be time for a bit of an update, so I created this New Year’s Eve Sensory Bottle with more of a countdown theme. If you’re looking for another great kids’ sensory activity for this night, check out our New Year’s Eve Noisemakers.

New Year’s Eve Sensory Bottle:

Supplies needed:

• 1 plastic sensory bottle or empty water bottle (I use either a sensory bottle from Michael’s or a Voss water bottle)
• 6 oz. bottle Elmer’s Clear School Glue
• warm water
• silver glitter
• gold glitter
• silver star confetti
• clock buttons (I love the antique look of these ones)
• optional: hot glue and glue gun

Directions:

1. Empty one bottle of glue into bottle.
2. Fill the empty glue bottle about half full with warm water and seal with the lid. Shake well to combine the rest of the glue with the water. Pour into the jar with the glue, replace that lid, and shake to combine.
3. Add the glitter, star confetti and clock buttons.
4. Seal the jar and shake well.
5. When the contents of the bottle move like you want them to, seal the bottle.
6. If using with younger kids, hot glue the lid in place.*

*As with all sensory activities, adult supervision is advised at all times.

Troubleshooting tips:

If the glitter or confetti does not move as easily as you would like, add more warm water. If the glitter or confetti moves too quickly, add additional glue.

Due to the clock buttons being metal and coming in contact with the liquid, you’ll only want to play with this sensory bottle for a few weeks because the clock buttons will rust.

Fun idea:

If you’re planning a New Year’s party, you can even set some of these bottles out on the tables as decoration. You’ll notice that even the adults will be mesmerized by the slowly falling glitter (the calm down effect). You can even sprinkle the leftover star confetti on the tables as additional decor.

Check out these other sensory bottles for kids:

New Year’s Eve DIY Noisemakers

New Year’s Sensory Bottle

Glow in the Dark Sensory Bottle

Bug Sensory Bottle