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:
- Fill the water bottle about half full with glue.
- 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.
- Add the glitter and confetti to the bottle.
- 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.
- 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.
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Check out some of our other Valentines sensory activities:
