Sensory bottles are a fun and simple activity to make with young children. After our experiment with corn syrup and water failed but our water and plastic beads and water and oil sensory bottles turned out wonderfully, I decided to step our next bottle up a notch by combining the water and oil with some plastic baubles. The resulting sensory bottle is quite fun to play with!
To make our oil, water, and plastic baubles sensory bottle, I started by washing out an old plastic bottle with soap and water. I then filled the bottle half way up with plain water and added a few drops of food coloring to turn the water orange. After digging through my box of craft beads, I dropped a few large plastic animal-shaped baubles into the colored water. I finally poured some canola oil on top of the water to fill up the rest of the bottle. I then had my husband screw the bottle lid on as tightly as possible and then further secured the lid with some electrical tape.
Because canola oil is yellow in color, our newest sensory bottle ended up being orange and yellow in color, which is quite pretty. The oil and water never fully mix and always separate when the bottle is left to sit undisturbed. The plastic baubles get caught in the oil and float around. My daughter loves shaking up her oil, water, and plastic baubles sensory bottle. I even love swirling around the orange and yellow colors. All in all, I would say our oil, water, and plastic baubles sensory bottle is quite a success.
Have you ever made a sensory bottle?
Image Credits
Canola Oil, Food Coloring Water in Plastic Bottle, Plastic Baubles © 2013 Heather Johnson
Colored Water in Plastic Bottle © 2013 Heather Johnson
Plastic Baubles in Colored Water © 2013 Heather Johnson
Oil, Water, and Plastic Baubles Sensory Bottle 1 © 2013 Heather Johnson
Oil, Water, and Plastic Baubles Sensory Bottle 2 © 2013 Heather Johnson
Poppy Playing with Her Oil, Water, and Plastic Baubles Sensory Bottle 1 © 2013 Heather Johnson
Poppy Playing with Her Oil, Water, and Plastic Baubles Sensory Bottle 2 © 2013 Heather Johnson