7 easy sensory bottle ideas

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Sensory play helps your baby explore the world around them while making important pathways in their brain. We love sensory bottles because they’re a mess-free way to spark your baby’s curiosity.  Don’t forget to super glue the tops! 

There are so many simple ways to make sensory bottles. Try using water and water beads, small animals, toys, buttons, beans, dried pasta, and pom poms. Open up that craft or junk drawer: you’ve probably got the makings of a fascinating sensory bottle for your baby ❤️

Here are 7 easy ways to make sensory bottles:

Loom band sensory bottle

Loom bands are small, multi-colored rubber bands used in craft projects. They make a great variation on the sensory bottle because they float and move through the water in a unique way. Simply fill a bottle with water and add the loom bands.

Foamy sensory bottle

Fill a bottle ¾ full with water and add ¼ cup of dish soap. When you shake the bottle, foamy bubbles form. If your baby is patient, the bubbles will eventually disappear and they can shake the bottle again 😉 For a multi-sensory experience, squeeze a few drops of food coloring and pour a handful of glitter into the bottle.

Confetti sensory bottle

Make confetti by cutting or tearing paper into small pieces—construction paper, tissue, or wrapping paper work well. Pour a handful into a bottle and fill it with water. Help your baby spin it; they’ll be fascinated by the swirling colors 🙂 You can experiment with adding other craft items: beads, sequins, or a handful of any other shiny or sparkly material.

Water sensory bottle: water vs ice

Fill two clear plastic bottles with water and freeze one of them.  These sensory bottles are an early lesson in opposites and the properties of water. Your baby will be fascinated by the cold temperature of the frozen bottle and the movement of the water in the other. For a fun variation, try adding food coloring to one or both bottles.

Nature sensory bottle

Go on a nature walk with your baby to collect items like small sticks, dirt, pebbles, leaves, and flowers. Put them in a bottle, and when your baby shakes it, you can point out the sounds of the sticks, dirt, and other objects knocking into each other. Or fill the bottle with water to demonstrate what floats and what sinks.

Spring shower bottle

Glue slows down the movement inside this sensory bottle. Drop in a handful of small pom poms and add water until the bottle is ¾ full. Pour in one teaspoon of glitter and fill the rest of the bottle with clear glue. Watching the glitter slowly settle to the bottom is mesmerizing for your baby and can even help calm their breathing.

Ocean sensory bottle 

Fill a bottle ⅔ with water. Add a few drops of blue food coloring and top it off with baby oil. Show your baby how to roll it across the floor and watch the colors slosh around in the bottle—like a little tide rolling in 😉