Easy Popsicle Summer Sensory Bottle for Toddlers
Check out this super easy summer sensory bottle for toddlers! This teaches you how to make a sensory bottle for one of your summer sensory activities to enjoy with little ones.
Summer is the perfect time to engage toddlers in sensory play, and one delightful way to do so is through sensory bottles.
These captivating containers filled with colorful objects provide an array of benefits for young children while offering endless opportunities for exploration and learning.
We love making sensory bins and bottles with our toddlers, and this summer sensory bottle DIY project was super easy.
I wanted to show you how to make these summer sensory bottles, and share some other fun summer sensory activities for toddlers to enjoy this time of the year too!
Benefits of Summer Sensory Bottles
Here are a few benefits of sensory bottles:
- Promotes Calmness: Sensory bottles can have a calming effect on toddlers, helping them relax and unwind during the excitement of summer activities. The gentle movement of objects inside the bottle can soothe restless minds and bodies.
- Encourages Exploration: Toddlers are naturally curious, and sensory bottles provide a safe way for them to explore different textures, colors, and shapes. By manipulating the bottle, they engage their senses and develop important cognitive and fine motor skills without getting messy!
- Fosters Focus and Attention: As toddlers observe the objects floating inside the bottle, they learn to concentrate and focus their attention. This can be particularly beneficial for children who struggle with sensory processing or attention-related challenges.
- Stimulates Imagination: Sensory bottles spark imagination and creativity as toddlers invent stories or make connections between the objects they see. They can pretend the bottle is a treasure chest, a magic potion, or a miniature world to explore.
Check out these other easy sensory play ideas that your toddlers will love!
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How to Make Summer Sensory Bottle
Here is how to make this popsicle sensory bottle, perfect for a summer themed sensory bottle:
Supplies
- Sensory bottle
- Popsicle resin charms
- 1 5 oz. bottle of clear glue
- 1-2 cups of warm water
Instructions
Pour the glue into the warm water and stir well. This helps cut down on the bubbles. Pour the water into the bottle and fill half way.
Add the popsicle resin charms.
Fill the remainder of the bottle with the water.
Close the lid well. Use glue to shut the lid to make sure nothing comes out.
Shake the contents of the bottle and watch them move around freely!
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Tips and Tricks
- If your toddler is old enough, don’t glue on the lid, so you can change it up and make more sensory bottles around your summer theme.
- Some other great items to include in your summer sensory bottle can be seashells, grass, flowers, sand, fruit, butterflies, pom poms, and so much more. The options are endless!
- Encourage your toddler to experiment with the sensory bottle by adding or removing objects, changing the liquid inside (if applicable), or decorating the outside of the bottle with stickers or markers. This hands-on exploration encourages problem-solving skills and fosters a sense of independence.
- Sensory bottles can be rolled along the floor or a flat surface, allowing toddlers to track its movement and practice hand-eye coordination. Encourage your toddler to push the bottle gently and watch as it rolls away. This activity promotes spatial awareness and gross motor skills.
How to Use
- Calm Down Time: Sensory bottles can be particularly effective during times when toddlers need to calm down and relax. When your toddler is feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or overstimulated, offering them a sensory bottle can provide a soothing sensory experience that helps them regulate their emotions and regain a sense of calmness.
- Transition Times: Transitioning between activities or routines can be challenging for toddlers, leading to frustration or resistance. Sensory bottles can serve as a helpful tool during transition times by providing a calming and engaging activity that helps toddlers transition more smoothly from one activity to another.
- Quiet Time or Nap Time: Incorporating sensory bottles into quiet time or nap time routines can help toddlers wind down and prepare for restful sleep. Offering a sensory bottle as part of a calming bedtime routine can signal to toddlers that it’s time to relax and settle down for sleep, making the transition to bedtime more peaceful. We even use them in our calming morning routine too!
- Independent Play: Sensory bottles are also great for encouraging independent play in toddlers. You can provide sensory bottles as a quiet, self-directed activity that toddlers can explore on their own, allowing them to engage their senses and stimulate their imagination while fostering independence and creativity.
- Learning Opportunities: Sensory bottles can be used as educational tools to support learning and development in toddlers. You can incorporate sensory bottles into structured learning activities or sensory play sessions, using them to introduce concepts such as colors, shapes, sizes, and counting in a hands-on and interactive way.
- Special Occasions or Celebrations: Sensory bottles can be customized to align with specific themes or holidays, making them perfect for special occasions or celebrations. Whether it’s a sensory bottle filled with colorful confetti for a birthday party or a sensory bottle filled with seasonal items for a holiday celebration, toddlers will enjoy the festive sensory experience.
If you love making sensory bins and bottles for your toddlers, you will love all these sensory play ideas!
Other Fun Summer Sensory Activities for Toddlers
Here are a few other fun sensory activities for toddlers to enjoy during the summer months:
- Water Play: Set up a water sensory bin or kiddie pool filled with shallow water and add scoops, cups, and toys for splashing and pouring fun. Include objects like sponges, spray bottles, and water wheels to enhance sensory exploration.
- Ice Excavation: Freeze small toys or objects in ice cube trays or containers filled with water for some fun ice sensory play. Once frozen, let your toddler use tools like spoons, spray bottles, or pipettes to melt the ice and reveal the hidden treasures inside.
- Nature Scavenger Hunt: Take a nature walk with your toddler and collect items like leaves, flowers, sticks, and rocks. Create a sensory bin filled with these natural treasures for your child to touch, smell, and explore at home.
- Messy Play with Sand or Playdough: Set up a summer sensory bin with kinetic sand or homemade playdough and provide tools like molds, cookie cutters, and shovels for sensory-rich play. Add natural elements like seashells or dried flowers to enhance the sensory experience. A beach themed sensory bin or this ice cream sensory bin would be fun too!
Summer Sensory Bottle Wrap-Up
Summer sensory bottles are so easy to make and will provide tons of fun for your little one. So, gather your materials, unleash your creativity, and let the summer sensory adventures begin with this best summer sensory bottle idea!
Check out other fun sensory bottle ideas:
- Calming Sensory Bottle
- Sensory Bottle with Hair Gel
- Unicorn Sensory Bottle
- I Spy Sensory Bottle
- Pom Pom Sensory Bottle
- 4th of July Sensory Bottle
- Butterfly Sensory Bottle
- Magnetic Sensory Bottle
- DIY Rain Stick Shakers
- Summer Sensory Bottle
- Easter Sensory Bottle
- Fall Sensory Bottle
- Winter Find-And-See Sensory Bottle
- Calming Sensory Bottle
