This past week I decided to make some Valentine's Day themed discovery bottles for my babies. Discovery bottles are a great way for infants and toddlers to have a fun sensory experience and some playful learning.
These simple DIY toys will allow little ones to explore:
SOUND: They will be able to study the different sounds that are made by different items—how heavy beads will clink and light buttons will swish.
MATTER: They'll observe how items float more quickly or more slowly through water or hair gel or oil.
CHANGE: They will notice how the contents of a bottle can change when shaken—how glitter will swirl and how water and oil will make funny bubbles.
Materials Needed:
- Empty water bottles with lids; smaller ones will be easier for babies to lift
- Good glue to secure lid
- Duct tape to secure the lid; I recommend a pretty color like hot pink
- Goodies like glitter, buttons, and pom-poms
Directions:
- Place desired contents in bottle
- Secure lid with glue (inside lid) and duct tape (outside the lid)
- Let your little one play!
1. Water & Pom-poms
These pom-poms are silent in the water but they wiggle in a funny way when you shake the bottle.
2. Water, Food Coloring, & Glitter
The glitter will swirl when shaken and settle when left alone.
3. Water & Beads
These beads are heavy and make nice clinking sounds when shaken.
4. Shampoo (hair gel would also work nicely) & Marbles
The thick goo of the shampoo will make the marbles move very slowly as the bottle is turned and shaken.
5. Water & Buttons
These buttons are light and fly around easily in the water, making a swishy sound.
6. Rice & Chenille Stems
The rice and chenille stems are an interesting combination for noticing movement. As the chenille stems are hidden by the rice and then uncovered, baby can learn object permanence (understanding that an object is still there even when he can't see it).
7. Water, Oil & Food Coloring
The water and oil won't mix, and when shaken they'll make funny, interesting bubbles.
Caution: Be very careful to secure lids well, using glue inside the lid around the rim and duct tape around the outside of the lid. You don't want your little one to be able to pop off the lid and choke on it!
Keep a watchful on the bottles. These are not forever toys. When the plastic gets worn, it's time to toss them, as they can get holes from rough play and chewing. You don't want baby to get a big mouthful of shampoo or glitter. Not healthy!
Have fun!
Megan Strong
www.wonderandbloom.com
This post originally appeared on Wonder & Bloom.