Joyful Learning-Sensory Calm Bottles
To see the joy on a child’s face is always priceless! I loved experiencing that today while the kids made calming sensory bottles. Sensory bottles are a great way for kids to enjoy fine motor play, embrace creative expression, and produce a toy/tool that they will use for self-regulation in the future. In our classroom, we have a calm down corner and a “hulk” movement box. Both are used at a child’s request when he or she needs to regulate by moving and grooving, fidgeting, or engaging in more (or less) sensory input. Calm down jars are sweet crafts and tools to use at home, at school, in the car, or even in the waiting room for an appointment! Children can see the beautiful creations drifting and falling ever so gently and slowly from the top of the bottle to the bottom in a mesmerizing fashion. I think I’ll take a turn myself! Clear liquid hand soap Glitter glue Water Small feathers Jewels Confetti (a bit on the wilder side!) Pom pom puff balls (pic) Light wooden beads Permanent marker (to write name on top if multiple children are participating) *Note: You can use any materials you have at home that will fit in the bottle and move at various speeds. Admittedly, the bright confetti made for a much wilder movement jar as opposed to a calming jar, so I let the kids make their choice after being given that information. We know children can turn trash into treasure! They always find a way to light up with joy when they have choice in these artistic creations! After the adding the fillings, pour the clear liquid hand soap to fill the rest of the bottle. To give the kids more ownership, they can hold the bottle with one hand and help you tip the dish soap with the other to be more involved. Finally, screw the cap on very tightly. This part is the adult’s job. Label the lid with permanent marker, then hand it back to the kids to…shake, shake shake! The kids loved dancing around to shake loose all of the items inside and this method gives extra proprioceptive input as well! Put on music if you want to make it more fun! To complete the calming bottle, make sure to seal it fully with super glue on the rim and let it sit for 24 hours to cure. Enjoy! The kids were adorable and enjoyed every aspect of creating these! As a bonus, build in finger and fine motor opportunities along the way. For little fingers that need more practice pinching to prepare for holding a pencil and other tools some day, here are my tips. Have your child participate actively in the following hand and finger-strengthening exercises: There are endless options to what you can put into these sensory jars. After fondly creating them, these jars are excellent to place your child’s calm corner or a joyful spot of their choosing, as they are linked to the happy memory or creating them together! They can be kept in a classroom, backpack, cubby, or brought on trips. I love that these tools can be used over and over for fun, a calming moment, or a priceless memory to share! The joy of learning and loving is what we are all about! What kind of sensory bottles have you made at home? Put your ideas and experiences in the comments below. Have a great week. Rest and be blessed. Created with joy, Stephanie Joy
Sensory Bottles with a Fun, Fine Motor Twist!
Materials To Make Sensory Calming Bottles
Steps To Make Sensory Calming Bottles
Step 1: Squirt Water
Step 2: Pinch and Place Fillings
Step 3: Squeeze and Pour Hand Soap
Step 4: Shake, Shake, Shake!
Step 5: Last Step! Seal with Super Glue
Five Fun, Fine Motor Ideas
