Have to admit that I wanted to make a calm down bottle for my toddler ever since I saw them for the first time! However, I wasn’t really sure about giving her a bottle with liquid content, especially plastic bottle! Toddlers have a habit of throwing things around and my toddler is no different! And I wasn’t sure what would happen if she throws the plastic bottle on the floor and it cracks! Messy is not a problem, but soaked carpets might be, especially if there is glitter or some kind of gel inside the bottle. For this reason, I decided to create no-liquids calm down sensory bottle she can carry with her to bed along with her torch.
Things I placed inside a bottle are very basic – some neon plastic straws I had on hand, left over from some past party, and cotton balls. I have placed all of this in a small blue plastic bottle. I picked blue bottle because it reminds me of the sky.
One little tip if you’re cutting straws for this sensory bottle: place straws in the bottle as much as needed to be cut and then snap with scissors while holding them. This will prevent pieces of straws to jump all over the room! (I had that too!)
My tot has her little hand-held torch with LED light and she was so fascinated with all the glowing that came from the bottle! I have placed inside only pink and purple straws since we are having Valentine’s day soon plus, I thought it would make a good contrast with a blue bottle.
Oh, did I mention why I decided to place cotton balls? No? I added cotton balls because this was supposed to be a calm down bottle and I used cotton balls to silence any sound pieces of drinking straws would make bumping into bottle walls during shaking.
To get a bit more background about the importance of sensory play, we recommend you to read book Sensory Bins: the What, the How & the Why. It has basics covered with many play ideas, all in easy to understand language (for parents like me!). Another great book to check is 99 Fine Motor Ideas for Ages 1-5. Packed with fun things to do with toddlers and preschoolers!
In January, we are participating in 31 Day Sensory Play Challenge with the different daily sensory prompt. You can read more about this challenge over at Adventures of Adam.
TOMORROW WE ARE PLAYING WITH
BEANS / LENTILS SENSORY BIN!
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Thanks for the idea with this. Mine loooooves the glitter bottles but I’m like you, that I’m so nervous that it will end in a carpet full of glitter and goop. I’ve been trying to come up with other things that would be fun in it without liquid. I like the straws idea!