Earlier this week we got a box of Alphabet Beads for Mr. Q and of course, Mr. Roo wanted them…badly. While these beads made a perfect quiet time box for Q, they were far too small for me to give to my one-year-old. This Alphabet Sensory Bottle was made as a way to let the two boys play with the beads together (and to get Roo to leave the quiet box alone).
I have to say that I have fallen in love with discovery bottles. They are so quick to throw together and absolutely mesmerizing. Plus, when the bottle is weighted like this one is it also becomes an awesome Heavy Work tool (which is good for kids that are seeking proprioceptive input).
All together this bottle cost us at most $5 and took us less than 10 minutes to throw together.
Items Needed to Make an Alphabet Calm Down Bottle
- Alphabet Beads (buy here
)
- VOSS Water Bottle (buy here
)
- Corn Syrup or Clear Gel
- Gold Glitter (buy here
)
For this, the beads were the most expensive item. I think we spent about $15 on a big box of beads, and this bottle only took a handful. We have absolutely loved these beads. So much that I currently have over 25 different ways to play with them sitting on my SD card to be shared. There are also a ton of different varieties out there. I know that Lakeshore Learning had some for a bit more, that looked slightly bigger and came in both lower case and upper case.
How to Make an Alphabet Discovery Bottle
- To start, completely wash your bottle. If you are having difficulty removing the sticky glue from the labels try coating them in an oil and then rub off. Once cleaned add in your alphabet letters. I put about one handful in, about 1/3 of the way up the bottle.
- Then add in as much glitter as desired. I poured in about a tablespoon.
- The next step is going to be based on preference. For our bottle I filled it all the way up with corn syrup, any clear gel will work. This helps keep the letters suspended and gives the bottle some weight. If you want the letters to fall quicker or the glitter to settle faster try experimenting with adding in water. The more water there is in the mixture the less suspended both items will be.
- Seal tightly. Glue if desired.
Personally, I did not glue ours. I just had my husband put the top on so tight even I couldn’t unscrew it. Then play! My kids have had an absolute blast with this, and how you can play with it is extremely versatile.
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