- Age:3 mo+
- Time:15 min
- Difficulty:Easy
- Mess level:Low
- Supervision:Yes
What Is Sensorimotor Development and Why Does It Matter?
Sensorimotor development is a process of cognitive and motor development through our reactions to the external stimuli using our senses and perception.
It means that humans, like all living beings, will react to the things that are happening around us and through that we will learn.
We use our senses: (1) Sight, (2) Smell, (3) Hearing, (4) Taste and (5) Touch to receive information from our surroundings and we react to that based on our innate instincts and past learning experience.
Sensorimotor development is crucial in infant development, from age of 0 to 24 months of age because that is the development stage when children rely the most on basic senses to learn. Of course, sensorimotor development happens whole life, but it is most important in those early ages because then is the time when those important neural connections in our brain are being created.
We won’t go into more details here, but we got you covered: You can read all about Sensorimotor development and activities for Children that you can make and use at your home.
In this article, we will cover one activity that you can use for sensorimotor development - Sensory Bottle.
Safety first
Glue the cap shut so the bottle can't be opened by little hands, and check it for cracks or leaks before every use. Anything small enough to swallow belongs inside a sealed bottle only, never loose - and never use magnets or button batteries, which are a medical emergency if swallowed. Children under 3 should always be supervised while playing.
Tips for Making and Using a Sensory Bottle
There are tons of ways you can make the Sensory bottle. All you need is a… well… Bottle! Everything else is mostly left to your imagination and creativity.
Slow the swirl for a calm-down bottle
Want it to work as a calm-down timer? Use more baby oil and less water, or swap in clear glue or glycerine. A thicker liquid makes the glitter drift down slowly, giving your child a full minute of mesmerising, breathe-along calm before it settles.
Making sensory bottle can also be an excellent activity for older children who can use the process of creating it for learning about different substances, chemical and physical properties of materials in use.
For toddlers, the sensory bottle can be used for sensorimotor stimulation and emotional regulation. Since toddlers are capable of manipulating objects on their own, they are capable manipulating the bottle with their own hands. So you can use bottles with different shapes and textures to engage your child in full spectrum of sensorimotor stimulation and development.
As for infants, they probably won’t be able to physically manipulate sensory bottle but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be using it. On the contrary, the sensory bottle is one of best toys for infants. Since they mostly rely on audio and visual stimuli from their surroundings, the sensory bottle is a great learning tool. You can shake the bottle, squeeze it, rotate it and see how your child will be interested in the effects. A Sensory bottle is a great tool that helps you provide right stimuli for your infant brain development.
Materials Needed for a Sensory Bottle
- Empty Bottle
- Some Water
- Glass
- Food color
- Glitter
- Baby oil
- And bonus:
- Stick or a spoon to mix it
- Funnel
A bottle, liquid, glitter and small toys: everything a sensory bottle needs.
How to Make a Sensory Bottle
You can watch the video at the beginning of the article to see a step-by-step guide and the sensory bottle in action, or continue reading the description below.
- Using the Baby oil and a funnel, fill the empty bottle to the half.
- Add some glitter to the bottle - the more you add - the better effect.
- Pour some water (you will need enough to fill the rest of the bottle) into the glass and add Food coloring. Mix it all together. You can choose any color you like.
- After mixing the water and food color, using a funnel, fill the rest of the bottle with the colored water.
- Seal the bottle tightly and shake it. We strongly recommend gluing the cap shut - the contents (baby oil, glitter, small parts) are not for drinking, and little hands are surprisingly good at unscrewing caps.
- Enjoy the wonderful effect of the sensory bottle.
Shake it and watch: the finished sensory bottle in action.
What happens when you add the coloured water to the baby oil?
Make your prediction, then tap an answer to check!
Benefits of a Sensory Bottle
- Self-regulation of emotions and a calming, almost meditative effect
- Focuses attention and concentration
- Discovery and learning through play
- Exploration of cause and effect
Key takeaways
- A sensory bottle is a sealed bottle of liquid, glitter, and small objects that gives babies and toddlers safe visual, auditory, and (through handling) tactile stimulation.
- It works as a calm-down bottle: watching the glitter settle helps children slow their breathing and self-regulate big emotions.
- Oil and water don't mix and oil is less dense, so the contents form two layers and the glitter drifts slowly - use more oil to slow it down further.
- Always glue the cap shut and keep small parts sealed inside; loose small parts, magnets, and button batteries are dangerous if swallowed.
- Suitable from a few months old (as something to watch) through toddlerhood (as something to shake and explore) - always with supervision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a sensory bottle?
A sensory bottle is a clear, tightly sealed bottle filled with liquid, glitter, and small objects. When shaken, the contents swirl and slowly settle, giving a child rich visual and auditory stimulation. It's used both for sensory play and as a calming "calm-down bottle."
What age is a sensory bottle for?
They suit babies from a few months old, who enjoy watching you shake and rotate the bottle, right through toddlerhood, when children can shake and explore it themselves. Because everything stays sealed inside, it's a safe toy for this age when made and supervised properly.
How do you make a calm-down bottle that settles slowly?
Use more baby oil and less water, or swap in clear glue or glycerine. The thicker the liquid, the more slowly the glitter drifts down, giving your child a longer, breathe-along moment of calm before everything settles.
Why don't the oil and water mix in a sensory bottle?
Oil and water are immiscible - their molecules don't bond with each other. Because oil is less dense than water, it floats on top and the two form separate layers, which is what creates the slow, mesmerising swirl when you shake the bottle.
Are sensory bottles safe for babies and toddlers?
Yes, as long as the cap is glued shut so it can't be opened, the bottle is checked for cracks or leaks before each use, and play is supervised. Never use magnets or button batteries inside - if swallowed, they are a medical emergency.
How do you seal a sensory bottle so it can't leak or open?
Fill the bottle, screw the cap on tightly, then run a line of hot glue or strong craft glue around the cap's threads and rim before closing it for good. Give it a firm shake to check for leaks, and inspect it again before every play session.
For more sensorimotor activities, be sure to check How to make Sensory Bag, How to make Sensory Play Colors and How to make Homemade Playdough and let the fun to continue. And if you're interested in exploring colors in addition to sensory play, we recommend looking at how to make a Rainbow colored rice activity.
