Sensory calm down bottles are an excellent tool for parents to have in their toolkit. These inexpensive, portable sensory aids can be used to quietly soothe children, avoid meltdowns and help kids manage their emotions.
Sensory calm down jars encourage 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. They can also be used as a timer for "time-outs" if so desired. The use of sensory calm down bottles is a mindful activity that can help center children.
Also known as zen jar, mindful jar, relaxation jar, or sensory bottles. There are many different recipes to make your child's sensory bottle, including water, dish soap, baby oil, food coloring, clear glue or hair gel.
Looking to take this idea to the next level? Try making special holiday calm down bottles. Try adding red and green rice to your mindful jar at Christmas or drop creepy spiders into a baby oil sensory jar at Halloween. Take your child to the dollar store and together you can design the perfect DIY sensory bottle. Have fun!
What you can add to a sensory calming bottle
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
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.
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.
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.
Glitter Sensory Bottle
1. Fill the 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.
Eye Spy Alphabet Sensory Bottle
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 absolutely 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.
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.
