Does your child love sensory bottles? This slow falling bead sensory bottle is a fun twist on traditional calm down jars, and it takes less than 5 minutes to make. Turn the bottle on its head and watch as the beads make their way to the bottom in slow motion!
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If your child loves sensory bottles and you’re looking for something that’s a little different, this DIY slow motion sensory bottle is the perfect project to try.
Rather than glitter glue, it contains beads that slow fall to the bottom. And there are lots of ways to tweak it to make it appropriate for every season. This bottle would make a great addition to your collection!
If you enjoy this project, you can also check out my complete guide on how to make sensory bottles, where I’ve shared all my best tips and tricks for making the perfect sensory bottle at home.
Why You’ll Love This Project
- Safe for small children: Sensory bottles are perfect for little ones who still like to put everything in their mouths, because any small items you use are contained within a bottle, where they won’t be a choking hazard.
- Easy to make: This project takes less than 5 minutes from start to finish, which makes it perfect for busy parents.
- Affordable: Most sensory bottles (including this one) can be made using items from the dollar store. You don’t even need to buy a bottle specifically for this project—any empty bottle from the recycling will do.
- Calming effect: Sensory bottles are a great tool for helping kids calm down when they’re dealing with big emotions. My kids have gotten into the habit of asking for them when they’re upset.
Have a young child at home and looking for more sensory activities that are free of choking hazards? You can also check out these DIY Sensory Bag Ideas, this Chia Seed Sensory Bin, this Taste-Safe Chickpea Foam or this Edible Sand for Babies.
Required Materials
- Clear plastic bottle: I love these ones because they give my homemade sensory bottle a consistent look, but if you don’t want to buy anything, you can use an empty bottle from the recycling. (VOSS water bottles are a popular choice.)
- Clear hand soap
- Clear dish soap
- Small plastic beads: I used alphabet beads from Walmart, but you can use perler beads, pony beads or any other type of bead you have on hand. Just keep in mind that the bigger and heavier the beads, the faster they will fall. If you want the beads to fall slowly, stick with smaller ones.
- Chunky glitter: This is optional, but I find it visually interesting because it falls more slowly than the beads. Make sure you use chunky glitter rather than fine glitter, as fine glitter will make the liquid appear cloudy and will stay suspended for way too long.
- Hot glue or super glue: This is also optional, but it will help secure the lid to ensure the bottle doesn’t pop open while your child is playing with it.
The full supply list and instructions can be found in the how-to card.
How to Make a Slow Motion Calm Down Bottle (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Pour hand soap into the bottle. Fill about two thirds of the bottle with clear liquid hand soap.
Step 2: Add plastic beads. Add a handful of plastic beads to the bottle.
Step 3: Add glitter (optional). If you have chosen to add glitter, now is the time. Don’t add too much—just a little will do.
Step 4: Add dish soap. Fill the bottle the rest of the way with clear dish soap.
Step 5: Adjust the flow. Flip the bottle upside down and watch the beads fall. If they are falling too quickly, dump out some of the contents of the bottle and add more hand soap; if they are falling too slowly, add more dish soap.
Step 6: Seal the bottle. Add the lid to seal the bottle. If you want to be sure it won’t open, use hot glue or super glue to the inside of the lid before you let your child play.
This slow motion sensory bottle is so cool! There is something so calming about watching the beads slowly fall to the bottom.
Helpful Tips
- Remove sticky residue: If you are using a recycled bottle and you’re having trouble removing the sticky residue from the label, use Goo Gone to remove it more easily.
- Play around with the quantities: Hand soap will make beads stay suspended for longer, while dish soap will make them fall more quickly. I used about two thirds hand soap and one third dish soap, and it took 5 minutes for all the beads to reach the bottom. Keep dumping out liquid and replacing it with hand soap or dish soap until you’re happy with how it flows.
- Replace the glue periodically: Glue weakens over time when it comes into contact with liquid. If you have chosen to seal the lid with hot glue or super glue, test the seal periodically by giving the lid a gently twist. If you feel any movement, seal it up again by adding more glue.
Fun Ways to Tweak This Project
There are lots of ways to adapt this project! Give one of these variations a try:
- Use different types of beads: Try experimenting with different types of beads. You can even use several types of beads in the same bottle and watch them fall at different speeds. For added fun, choose beads that glow in the dark!
- Replace the beads with other small objects: Beads aren’t the only thing you can use in this project! Try replacing them with buttons, small LEGO bricks, or other small—ideally plastic—objects you have lying around the house. (I recommend avoiding items that are prone to rust.)
- Make it seasonal: With just a little tweaking, this project can be adapted for every season! Try using acrylic hearts to create a Valentine’s Day sensory bottle with slow-falling hearts, or use small plastic spiders for Halloween.
Pro Tip
Lighter objects fall more slowly, while heavier objects fall more quickly. If you decide to use larger beads or replace them with other objects, you’ll likely need to adjust the ratio of hand soap to dish soap.
More Sensory Bottle Ideas
If you have tried this Slow Falling Sensory Bottle or any other recipe/project on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below. I can’t wait to hear from you!
Slow Falling Bead Sensory Bottle
Ingredients
- 1 clear plastic bottle recycled or new
- clear hand soap as needed
- clear dish soap as needed
- 1 handful small plastic beads
- chunky glitter optional
- hot glue or super glue optional
Instructions
- Fill the bottle two thirds of the way with hand soap.
- Add the plastic beads. If you have chosen to use glitter, add a small amount of it. (A little goes a long way.)
- Fill the rest of the bottle with dish soap.
- Seal the bottle and turn it upside down to watch the beads fall. If they fall too quickly, dump out some of the contents of the bottle and add more hand soap; if they fall too slowly, add more dish soap.
- Seal the bottle with a lid. If you want to be sure it won’t open during play, use hot glue or super glue to the inside of the lid.
Video
Notes
- Play around with the quantities: Hand soap will make beads stay suspended for longer, while dish soap will make them fall more quickly. Keep dumping out liquid and replacing it until you are happy with the speed at which the beads fall.
- Experiment with different beads: Lighter beads will fall more slowly, while heavier beads will fall more quickly. The size of the beads you use will affect the ratio of hand soap to dish soap.
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