DIY Unicorn Glitter Sensory Bottle for Preschoolers
Early childhood sensory activities are a cornerstone of early learning. If you’ve ever wondered why sensory activities are important, it’s because of all the inherent benefits within each and every sensory experience. Activities that stimulate the senses create brain connections, develop motor muscles, improve language skills, and much more.
This DIY Unicorn Glitter Sensory Bottle for Preschoolers puts a magical spin on sensory activities for kids. Learn how to make a sensory bottle, then adapt it any way you would like! Keep it all magic, with unicorns only, or add numbers and/or letters to focus on a skill. Perhaps the best thing about a homemade sensory bottle is that it will last throughout the theme and long into the next!
Recommended Grade Level:
Unicorn Sensory Bottle Supplies:
- Wide mouth plastic bottle
- 5 oz. clear school glue
- Turquoise beads
- Sequins (purple, pink, turquoise)
- Glitter (purple, pink, iridescent)
- Unicorn buttons
- Silver confetti
- Water
- Tape (optional)
Learning About Sensory Activities for Preschoolers:
BENEFITS OF SENSORY PLAY
SENSORY ACTIVITIES FOR TODDLERS AND PRESCHOOLERS ARE NOT JUST ENGAGING FOR KIDS. THEY OFFER SOME REAL BENEFITS IN THE BRAIN AND BODY THAT SET KIDS UP FOR FUTURE LEARNING SUCCESS.
From birth, babies and toddlers naturally explore with their senses. As they explore by touching, tasting, hearing, smelling, and seeing, important connections begin to form in the brain. By the time they reach preschool-age, they are ready for experiences that encourage language development, motor muscle development, and skill acquisition.
DIY sensory bottles are awesome for so many reasons! They are easy to make and can be a shared craft with your toddler or preschooler. They are super customizable, and they provide hours of entertainment after they are made!
Make this unicorn discovery bottle with just a few supplies.
As you make the sensory bottle DIY project, or during exploration, you can encourage talking and thinking in your child:
- How many purple/blue/red unicorns do you see?
- What do you think unicorns like to eat?
- What animals sort of looks like a unicorn?
- Why aren’t the beads dropping to the bottom of the water bottle?
Sensory Exploration for Kids
There are lots of ways to expose kids to different sensory input. Glitter bottles (aka Calming Jars or Sensory Bottles) are just one option.
Sensory Bins are also a great way to get sensory input! If you are creating a theme or just have kids who love fantasy, you can create this super fun princess sensory bin to go along with your unicorn sensory bottle. And you can even add in a princess pretend play printable to extend the fun.
What Can Preschoolers Learn With Sensory Play?
SENSORY EXPERIENCES IN PRESCHOOL
SENSORY PLAY IS PACKED WITH BENEFITS WE MIGHT NOT EVEN REALIZE.
- Improved language/vocabulary
- Strengthened small and large motor muscles
- Skill development (numbers, letters, animals, depending on what you put in the plastic bottle)
- Experience with calming activities
Why Is It Important For Kids To Engage Senses?
Besides the fact that kids love hands-on projects, there are many other reasons you should practice sensory play.
Develop Brain Connections: Activating the senses helps develop neurological connections in the brain. The more connections children form, the more prepared those pathways will be for learning skills and concepts as they grow.
Improve Vocabulary: Depending on the content of the sensory bottle or sensory bin, children can learn and practice new vocabulary in meaningful ways.
Strengthen Muscles: As kids grip, pinch, draw in shaving cream, turn the bottle, or feel different textures, they strengthen fine motor skills needed for writing, playing, and more.
Understand Self-Regulation: Using a calming bottle, or other quiet sensory activity, can be a soothing activity to help kids learn to calm down, relax, or de-escalate from a high-stress situation.
How To Make The Unicorn Sensory Bottle
SUPPLIES:
- Wide mouth plastic bottle
- 5 oz. clear school glue
- Turquoise beads
- Sequins (purple, pink, turquoise)
- Glitter (purple, pink, iridescent)
- Unicorn buttons
- Silver confetti
- Water
- Tape (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Pour all of the glue into the bottle.
- Add beads.
- Add glitter.
- Add confetti.
- Add buttons.
- Fill the bottle with water. If desired, use tape to secure the bottle.
Next, it’s time to shake and watch the water, beads, glitter, and glue make magic!
NOTE: If you see bubbles forming from the glue, you can scrape them off of the top and then fill with more water until they settle down. You can also substitute baby oil for glue as desired, or use glow in the dark stars for a fun twist.
Extend the Activity:
I Spy
Use the unicorn sensory bottle as a fun way to spy all of the objects in the bottle. Take turns being the person who “spies” something.
Counting Practice
Get some counting practice in by finding and counting all of the white/pink/purple unicorns or beads in the sensory bottle.
Create a Story
Use the objects in the bottle as a springboard for silly stories! Ever hear about the unicorn that refused to eat vegetables?!
More Unicorn Activities You’ll Love:
How About Even More Sensory Bottles?
How About More Unicorn Activities?
- Unicorn and Rainbows Ten Frame Game
- Unicorn Color Pack
- 3 Unicorn Math Games
- Unicorn Roll and Count Math Game
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