Sensory bottles or Calm-down bottles can be useful for anyone, but especially those who are on the autism spectrum, have ADHD, PTSD, or suffer from anxiety. They have a soothing effect that helps when you’re upset, overstimulated, or just overwhelmed by the world. To my ASD brain, it’s like watching the ocean waves, trees blowing in the wind, or listening to the rain fall. It’s a sort of random rhythm that helps to quiet my brain, and allows me to refocus.
Sensory bottles can be very captivating, and to me that makes them a form of art. If you take the time to watch the movement in the bottle, it can help you relax and regulate your emotions.
I have made a lot of sensory bottles so I will offer those recipes here in addition to some others that you might like for yourself or your child. Hopefully, they will help calm your brain and find your focus when the world is turned upside down or gets too chaotic to handle.
Supplies
Since there are so many options for sensory bottles, I decided to make an easy-to-read table. What you need is dependent upon which option you select from the table. However, these are the basics you’ll need to start regardless of what type bottle you decide to create.
- Sturdy plastic water bottle – You need a sturdier plastic water bottle like Fiji, Evian, Voss, or Smart Water for a few options. The new plant-based bottles like Dasani and some of the store-brand bottles are too thin, and might easily tear and leak. Think about how easy those bottles are to crush and you’ll understand what I mean. Most people like Voss water bottles because they are pretty, and cylinder-shaped. However, I have to say that Evian labels peel off easier than any other brand I have tried which makes them my favorite. I also love Evian water. However, you can always use Goo gone to assist with label removal if needed on other brand bottles.
- Hot tap water – Tap water is fine unless you live in an area where the water has a lot of impurities that can become cloudy over time. If that is the case, you can use distilled water.
- Super glue or E6000 for gluing the cap shut – This part is for the safety of children, and to avoid leaks. Glue the inside rim of your bottle cap and put back on. The glue will dry and the cap will stay sealed.
Sensory Bottles
| Start with: | Add for color: | Add for fun: |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Food coloring - your choice of color. 1 or 2 drops. | Glitter - fine, chunky, or a mixture of the two, any color(s) |
| Water | Water beads, any color(s) | |
| Water | Mini pom moms Twisted colorful pipe cleaners |
|
| Rice or oatmeal | Small toy dinosaurs | |
| Place 2 (for 12 oz bottle) to 3 ounces (for 18 oz bottle) of clear hair gel into each of 6 sandwich bags. | Add 6 separate colors to each bag. Red in 1 bag, Orange in 1 bag, Yellow in 1 bag, Green in 1 bag, Blue in 1 bag, Purple in 1 bag. | Cut a small hole at the corner of each bag and squeeze into your empty water bottle in this order: Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red to make a rainbow bottle. |
| Dry split peas, lentils | Small toys | |
| Colored play sand in any color. I like purple! | Small sea shells or rocks Small toys Alphabet beads |
|
| Clear corn syrup (Karo). This is my favorite because it's thick and moves very slowly! | Green food coloring. 1 or 2 drops. | Marbles Small dinosaur toys |
| Black dry beans | Marbles that look similar to Planets Small plastic stars |
|
| 2/3 Water, 1/3 Vegetable glycerin | Sequins Cut Up Colorful Ribbon Colorful Beads |
|
| 2/3 Warm water, 1/3 Clear tacky glue | Glycerine, 3 or 4 drops | Glitter, 2 different colors |
| 1/3 Water, 1/3 Baby oil, 1/3 Clear glue | Red food coloring. 1 or 2 drops. | |
| 1/2 Water, 1/2 White school glue, whisk in bowl before adding to bottle. Top off with more water. | Orange food coloring (or mix red and yellow) - 1 or 2 drops each. | Glitter Add a few nickels or rocks for sound. |
| 1/2 Water, 1/2 Clear baby oil or Mineral oil | Food coloring -your choice of color. 1 or 2 drops. | Glitter Small Toys Marbles |
| 1/2 Sand, 1/2 Water | Blue food coloring, 2 or 3 drops. | Small sea shells |
Tips
- If you don’t have food coloring or water coloring, you can add a small chunk of watercolor paint to water and let it dissolve. It works just as well.
- Adding a few drops of vegetable glycerine will thicken the water. The more you add, the slower things move in your bottle. It also keeps your glitter from sticking together.
- Top off your bottles with water when you’re done adding all of your ingredients.
Personal Disclosure
To be honest, I don’t like glitter. I know watching the glitter helps calm some people, but it agitates me. Therefore, I prefer slow-moving options like the corn syrup recipe. My favorite sensory bottle is one that I made with corn syrup, green food coloring, marbles, and some tiny dinosaur toys. Corn syrup is thick and it’s very slow moving which really relaxes my mind.
But everyone is different, and most people love glitter. So give some of these options a try. You can also decorate the outside of the bottle a bit with markers or stickers.
How to Use
Find a spot to sit and turn the bottle slowly for 5 to 15 minutes.
Count each turn and watch the items slowly move and settle through the liquid.
You will be surprised at how much they can really help. Enjoy!