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Children with sensory differences ... painting the world beautiful.
Sensory Calming Bottles
Jeanette Loftus
Sensory calm down bottles are great for several different sensory needs including auditory input, vestibular input, bodily awareness, visual awareness and also a great mindful activity for your children too.
Sensory calm down bottles are a quick way to calm down children, avoid meltdowns and assist children when managing emotions.
Pass it to your child and ask them to give it a shake. Shaking the sensory bottle is sensory proprioceptive input too. They will be absolutely mesmerized watching the glitter or items in the jar move and fall to the bottom or looking for items in the rice or beans.
Sensory calming bottles encourages mindfulness, focus and calm for when children or adults are feeling overwhelmed and anxious. Watching them can be a great reset because they can be so captivating to watch.
Also known as Zen jar, mindful jar or sensory bottles. There are many themes you could use for your child's sensory bottle, or you could just add some glitter to it. To make your own sensory jar, fill it will water, dish soap, baby oil, food coloring, clear glue, hair gel or some use liquid hand soap too. (Instructions listed below)
Sensory bottles can be made cheaper with water bottles around the house, jars, Voss water bottles or you can order similar bottles on Amazon too. (listed below) Using whatever you have around the house can keep costs down. You can also order items from Amazon and the dollar store is a great place to find items for a DIY sensory bottle.
Sensory play is an important part of a child's development and growth. It helps them to explore and understand the world around them through their senses. One of the most popular and effective tools for sensory play are sensory bottles. These are bottles filled with different materials that provide various sensory experiences for kids.
Sensory bottles are often used to calm and relax children, especially those who have sensory processing issues or are easily overwhelmed. The slow movement of the objects inside the bottle can have a mesmerizing effect on kids, helping them to regulate their emotions and feel more at ease. This can be particularly helpful during moments of stress or meltdowns.
The mesmerizing effect of sensory bottles also helps children to focus and concentrate. As they watch the objects move and swirl inside the bottle, it can help to calm their minds and improve their attention span. This makes sensory bottles a great tool for kids who have trouble sitting still or paying attention for extended periods.
Sensory bottles are a fantastic way to stimulate a child's senses. The different materials, colors, and textures inside the bottle provide a multi-sensory experience for kids. They can see, hear, touch, and sometimes even smell and taste the different objects inside the bottle. This helps to improve their sensory processing skills and can also be beneficial for kids with sensory processing disorders.
There are many types of sensory bottle themes you could try to change things up and have some variety. Eye spy, nature, glitter, glow in the dark, animals, colors, winter, learning alphabet, buttons, Halloween, space and dinosaurs are some common ones.
Children are naturally curious and love to explore. Sensory bottles offer a safe and contained way for kids to explore their environment and discover new things. They can shake, twist, and turn the bottles to see how the objects inside move and interact with each other. This encourages their curiosity and helps them to learn about cause and effect.
Manipulating a sensory bottle requires fine motor skills – the ability to use small muscles in the hands and fingers. As kids twist and shake the bottles, they are strengthening their fine motor skills, which are essential for tasks such as writing and tying shoelaces. Sensory bottles can also be filled with small objects, such as beads or buttons, which further improve fine motor skills as children try to grasp and manipulate them.
One of the best things about sensory bottles is that they are versatile and can be customized for different purposes and preferences. They can be filled with a variety of materials, such as water, glitter, beads, rice, or even oil and food coloring. The possibilities are endless, and you can create different bottles for different sensory experiences. You can also make themed bottles, such as a beach-themed bottle or a galaxy-themed bottle, to add an extra element of fun and learning.
Sensory bottles are a fantastic tool for sensory play that offers numerous benefits for children. They can promote calmness and relaxation, improve focus and concentration, stimulate the senses, encourage exploration and curiosity, develop fine motor skills, and be customized for different purposes. If you are looking for a fun and educational activity for your child, consider making a sensory bottle and watch them explore and learn in a whole new way. The possibilities are absolutely endless when it comes to sensory bottles. Here are some ideas that you could add to your child's sensory bottles.
1. Glitter 2. Foil Confetti 3. Food coloring 4. Mini toy figures 5. Beads 6. Hair gel 7. Baby oil 8. Colored buttons 9. Colored elastics 10. Mini glow sticks 11. Pipe cleaners 12. Water beads 13. Dish soap 14. Rice 15. Beans 16. Lego blocks 17. Sea shells 18. Alphabet letter beads
How to make a sensory glitter calming bottle
Glitter Sensory Bottle
1. Fill the Voss Bottle with warm water. (3/4 full) 2. Add one bottle of Elmer's clear glue. 3. Add a lot glitter. 4. Add a few drops of food coloring. 5. Use super glue to glue the lid shut so it doesn't open. * You can add a few beads, lego blocks or small items and toys.
How to make a hair gel sensory calming bottle
Hair Gel Sensory Bottle
1. Add 1/2 cup of hair gel and then fill with warm water 3/4 full. 2. Put the top on the bottle and shake well. 3. Add some glitter and shake. 4. If your beads or small items don't move well you may need to add a little more water. 5. Use super glue to glue the lid shut so it doesn't open. * You can add a few beads, lego blocks or small items and toys.
How to make a baby oil sensory calming bottle
Oil & Water Sensory Bottle
1. Fill the bottle 3/4 with warm water. 2. Add a few drops of food coloring and shake. 3. Pour in the baby oil mixture into the water mixture to the top. Shake! It won't mix! 5. Use super glue to glue the lid shut so it doesn't open. * You can add a few beads, lego blocks or small items and toys.
How to make a glitter glue sensory calming bottle
Glitter Glue Sensory Bottle
1. Fill the Voss water bottle with 20% glitter glue. 2. Fill the bottle up with warm water. leave some space because you may want to add more glitter glue. 3. Use super glue to glue the lid shut so it doesn't open. * You can add a few beads, lego blocks or small items and toys.
1. Fill up the bottle using dyed colored rice or sand. (instructions for dry color rice below) 2. Use a funnel to add small objects into the bottle to find. I used letters as an educational activity to learn the alphabet but you can add absolutley anything. 3. Finish adding dyed colored rice, beans or sand in the other half of the bottle. 4. Make a list of objects for your child to find in the colored rice or sand. 5. Use super glue to glue the lid shut so it doesn't open.
How to make a colored sensory rice for sensory calming bottle
Colored Sensory Rice For Sensory Bottle
1. Fill the sensory bottle up 3/4 with rice. 2. Pour it in a container with a lid 3. Use white vinegar to just get the rice a little damp. 4. Add a few drops of food coloring to the rice 5. Close the lid and shake. 6. Lay the rice out on a piece of paper towel and let it dry over night.
How to make a sensory water beads calming bottle
Water Beads Sensory Bottle
1. Soak your water beads until they are full size. 2. Use a funnel and pour the water beads in the jar. 3. You can pour in color by color or all together, that's your choice. I did by color. 4. You can add some water or you can have the water beads in your sensory bottle without water too. 5. Use super glue to glue the lid shut so it doesn't open. * You can add a few beads, lego blocks or small items and toys.
How to make a dish soap St. Patrick's Day calming bottle
Dish Soap St. Patrick's Day Themed Sensory Bottle
1. Fill up the bottle 3/4 with warm water. 2. Add a few squirts of dish soup liquid. 3. Add a lot of glitter. I used green and gold for my St. Patrick's Day theme. 4. Add a few drops of food coloring. 5. I added gold coins from the dollar store and a lot of metallic confetti shaped shamrocks. 6. Give it a shake. 7. Use super glue to glue the lid shut so it doesn't open.
How to make a Eye Spy St. Patrick's Day Sensory Bottle
(dried sensory rice)
Eye Spy St. Patrick's Day Sensory Bottle (dried sensory rice)
1. Fill up the bottle using dyed colored rice or sand. (instructions for dry color rice above) 2. Use a funnel to add small shamrock clovers, gold coins or hidden treasures into the bottle to find. 3. Finish adding dyed colored rice, beans or sand in the other half of the bottle. 4. Make a list of objects for your child to find in the colored rice or sand. 5. Use super glue to glue the lid shut so it doesn't open.
How to make a glow in the dark stars sensory bottle
Glow In The Dark Stars Sensory Bottle
1. Fill the Voss water bottle with 20% glitter glue. I used silver so it wouldn't be too dark. 2. Fill the bottle up with warm water. Leave some space because you may want to add more glitter glue and you need space for stars. 3. Add glow in the dark stars. I bought my colorful glow in the dark stars from amazon. (link below) 4. Use super glue to glue the lid shut so it doesn't open.
How to make a glow in the dark sensory bottle
Glow In The Dark Sensory Bottle
1. Fill the Voss Bottle with warm water. (3/4 full) 2. Add one bottle of Elmer's clear glue. 3. Add a lot glitter. 4. Add a several mini glow sticks. 5. Use super glue to glue the lid shut so it doesn't open. * You can add a few beads, lego blocks or small items and toys.
How to make a glow in the dark water beads sensory bottle
Glow In The Dark Water Beads Sensory Bottle
1. Soak your water beads until they are full size. 2. Use a funnel and pour the water beads in the jar and as you are adding water beads, add mini glow sticks. 3. You can add some water too or you can have the water beads in your sensory bottle without water. 5. Use super glue to glue the lid shut so it doesn't open. * You can add a few beads, lego blocks or small items and toys.
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DISCLAIMER: I have learned a lot over the years but I am still learning. Always do your own research and exercise sound judgment. I am not an occupational therapist or a physician. I am an adult who has sensory processing disorder, a sensory parent and a Grandma. The information on this website is not medical advice and does not replace the information that your child's therapists or medical professionals give you. These are just ideas that I have learned myself over the years of being a parent and an adult living with SPD. If you are concerned for your child, please always seek medical attention through a family doctor, pediatrician or therapist. This website is for awareness and support purposes only. Each child is different and what works for one child may not for another because all children have different sensory needs. Please always consult with a professional.
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