When it comes to sensory play, you might be unsure of how to introduce it to a baby, toddler, or child who still mouths everything. Sensory discovery bottles can be that stepping stone. Thankfully, there are some great baby and toddler sensory bottle ideas below.
Or maybe sensory bins aren't your thing because they're too messy. So you'd prefer something a little less messy. Making a few DIY sensory bottles might be just what you need. After all, the mess is all contained inside the bottle.
Or maybe you're just looking for a calm down tool to use with your child. Something that will help with emotional regulation. Something to add to their calm down kit. A calming glitter sensory bottle might do the trick! You probably guessed I was going to say that though, right?
Regardless of which of the reasons above brings you here, you're going to love these ideas for sensory bottles and calm down bottles. You'll also learn what a sensory bottle is, some other names for them, and some materials you might need. So let's dig in!
This post contains affiliate links. Basically, I make a small commission when you use these links, at no additional cost to you.
Sensory Bottle Basics
New to sensory bottles? These resources will help give you a crash course on the what, who, why, and how.
Common Sensory Bottle Fillers
You can literally make a sensory bottle for every occasion and every interest. So the supplies needed will obviously vary from bottle to bottle. But here are some common materials you might need to make a DIY sensory bottle of your own. Your sensory bottle ingredients, if you will.
- A clear bottle or jar - VOSS water bottles are usually the popular choice for sensory bottles because of their shape and size. But any clear bottle will do the trick. Usually you want to use a plastic one.
- Loose parts that fit your chosen theme such as jingle bells, mini erasers, LEGO bricks, small toys, sequins, acrylic table scatter, buttons, or beads. The items you use will depend on your child's interests and the theme of your sensory bottle.
- Liquid or dry fillers (e.g., water, baby oil, rice, water beads, rocks, etc.) - Most sensory bottles are liquid based whereas discovery or I spy bottles tend to use dry fillers such as rice.
- Glitter - A popular material for calm down bottles in particular. There's a reason they are often called glitter sensory bottles after all!
- Food coloring or liquid watercolors to make your water sensory bottles bright and inviting.
- Dish soap or clear glue - Commonly used in liquid based sensory bottles. These materials are used to help the glitter and other items fall more slowly.
Remember, this list is just a basic overview of what you might need. Different themed sensory bottles require different items. For instance, you'll need hearts for a hearts sensory bottle or LEGO bricks for a LEGO sensory bottle, etc.
Fun DIY Sensory Bottles for Kids
When it comes to making sensory bottles for kids, it's always best to tailor it to your child's interests or passions. Kids are more likely to use calming tools like these if it's appealing to them.
So whether they love letters or space like most hyperlexic kids do (or they love something else entirely!), you're likely going to find something below that will appeal to them. You're going to love these sensory bottle ideas!
Seasonal Sensory Bottles Your Kids Will Love!
Holidays can be stressful for kids. So it doesn't hurt to have some extra supports on hand for them. That's where these homemade sensory bottles come in.
From Christmas and winter to fall and Halloween, you're sure to find something that will appeal to your child (and help them stay regulated during that season or holiday). Here are some great DIY sensory bottles to check out:
Hopefully you found some neat calm down or sensory bottle ideas above. Remember, sensory bottles are great for babies and toddlers, but they're also great for helping kids build regulation skills. So the question that remains is: which one are you going to make first?
