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A recent trend in sensory play for toddlers and preschoolers is sensory bottles. They actually go by many names: discovery bottles, sensory bags, calm down jars, and more! Basically, sensory bottles are containers that are filled with various materials as a way to encourage non-messy sensory play. Two reasons they are so popular is that they have surprising benefits for young children, and they are easy to make.
Benefits
Sensory play is a hands-on way to expose children to the world around them and allow their brains to make important connections. These bottles can address a wide range of concepts and can be adapted to meet the needs of the children using them. This lengthy list only covers a portion of the learning skills that can be addressed with sensory bottles:
- Math skills: counting, matching, shape recognition, spatial reasoning
- Pre-reading skills: letters, sounds
- Vocabulary skills: descriptive language, following directions
- Fine motor skills
- Science skills: Sink/float concepts, introduction to the scientific method – making an observation, asking a question, testing a hypothesis or prediction
Most toddlers (and even older children) are not able to self-regulate their emotions and require some sort of model for how to respond to emotional- or sensory-based stressors. As with most new strategies, it should be introduced to the child before she is ever upset, so she knows what it is and how it works. Calming strategies will be more effective if implemented before children get to that “point of no return.” Shake up the bottle, hand it to the child, and see what she does. When a sensory bottle has items such as glitter in it that move slowly, children are often fascinated by watching their slow descent, and this calms their breathing and helps them regulate themselves and their emotions.
Easy to Make
Sensory bottles are quick and inexpensive to make. The bottles are portable and do not require a trip to a science center. There are many excellent resources for how to create a sensory bottle. It is surprising that something so simple can create such fun sensory play at home!
If you enjoyed this blog, please take a look at our school’s blog page. There you will find blogs on a wide variety of topics that we believe will be beneficial to you and your family.
Want to learn more about Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy of Hamilton Mill located in Buford, Georgia? Our mission is to provide secure, nurturing, and educational environments for children ages 6 weeks – 12 years. We help children to bloom into responsible, considerate, and contributing members of society. For more information, give us a call or stop by for a tour! We’d love to get to know you and your family.