You likely already know that sensory play is good for kids. Or maybe you've heard it's good for kids. You just don't really know why.
But seriously, you might be wondering how a bottle filled with sensory materials could possibly be that beneficial. Especially beyond the infant and toddler years.
I mean there has to be a reason why there are so many cool sensory bottle ideas on Pinterest, right? So...what's the deal exactly?
Well, there are actually a lot of reasons why making your own DIY sensory bottle can be great for your child's development. And hopefully after reading through these benefits, you'll be convinced of their awesomeness and give it a try.
Obviously, there's the sensory exploration piece. Or, in the case of calm down sensory bottles, there's the added benefit of improving emotional regulation skills.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg, as they say. There's more to sensory bottles than that, as you'll soon see.
Below you'll find a list of 11+ sensory bottle benefits as we explore why this type of sensory play is great for kids of all ages. You might be surprised by how helpful a discovery sensory bottle can be.
11+ Sensory Bottle Benefits for Kids
1. They offer safe and mess free sensory rich experiences. There's no mess to worry about and choking hazards are contained, which is one of the big benefits of sensory bottles for infants and toddlers, in particular. They can safely explore items that might be otherwise too small for them.
2. Sensory bottles are fun and engaging to play with, regardless of the age. Kids love to shake them, squeeze them, and roll them, among many other things.
3. They're designed to stimulate and engage the senses and can provide lots of great sensory input. Makes sense given that the word sensory is in the name, right? Here are some examples of their sensory benefits:
- Kids can get proprioceptive input (definition here) by shaking or squeezing the bottle. Their sense of touch is engaged here as well.
- The items inside the bottle may make noise as it's turned, twisted, and shaken, engaging the auditory sense. Especially if the bottle uses materials such as rice, beans, or jingle bells.
- Obviously, the visual sense is actively used as kids look at how the bottle changes as it's moved around.
4. Another benefit of sensory bottles is that they're portable. Kids can bring them on the go. And parents don't have to worry about a piece going missing or the kids making a big mess since everything's contained inside.
5. They're great for emotional regulation by promoting relaxation. Many sensory bottles, such as glitter jars in particular, can be used to help kids practice deep breathing and mindfulness.
6. Sensory bottles are great for language development. They can be used to:
- Build vocabulary and practice core vocabulary words
- Practice labeling and describing
- Work on answering and asking WH questions, which is something many hyperlexic kids need help with
- Model specific gestalts or scripts for gestalt language processors
- Practice articulation
7. They're also great for social skills development. Kids can use sensory bottles to practice turn taking, following directions, problem solving, and a variety of other social skills.
8. Another benefit of sensory bottles is that they can be used to teach math, science, and literacy. Depending on the theme of the sensory bottle, a child could be working on:
- Pre-reading skills, including letter recognition or sight words (e.g.: alphabet sensory bottles or a name recognition sensory bottle)
- Math skills such as counting or shapes (e.g.: I spy sensory bottles)
- Color learning (e.g.: rainbow sensory bottles or a color mixing sensory bottle)
- Scientific concepts such as viscosity, magnetism, or life cycles (e.g.: butterfly life cycle sensory bottle), but also skills such as making an observation, making predictions, testing a hypothesis, etc.
9. Sensory bottles can help stimulate curiosity, exploration, and a desire to learn. I spy sensory bottles in particular draw kids in. They wonder what else might be floating or hiding inside the bottle. So they'll twist and turn and shake to discover what else is inside.
10. They can be used to improve attention and focus. Kids will focus purely on the bottle and what's inside, ignoring other distractions around them. There's just something about sensory bottles that suck kids in (okay, adults too!).
11. Sensory bottles are also great for developing motor skills. They can be used to help improve fine motor skills, especially if your child assists in making the bottle itself. Kids can also work on gross motor skills by shaking, rolling, squeezing, turning, and twisting the bottle as they play.
A Quick Recap of the Benefits of Sensory Bottles for Kids
As was covered above, there are lots of benefits of sensory bottles for kids. These benefits include:
- Safe and mess free sensory exploration
- They're fun and engaging to play with
- Sensory stimulation and input
- They're portable and great for on the go
- Emotional regulation skills
- Language skills
- Social skills
- Early learning in areas such as math, science, and literacy
- Stimulate curiosity
- Improve attention and focus
- Motor skills development
Now that you know some of the sensory bottle benefits, you might as well go try making your own. Find ideas and inspiration here.
