Sensory Bottles Craft Activity for Engagement, Self-Esteem & Mindfulness
It has been a tricky year for everyone - and that of course includes our little ones!
We probably don’t need to say it, but navigating a global pandemic is stressful for everyone, and it’s no exception for children.
Children are likely to be stressed about:
Fear for the health of themselves and their family
Fear of the unknown
Conflicting opinions among adults
Missing their friends
Limitations on play and excursions creating pent up energy
Feeling anxiety from an unpredictable school year
Worry about the future
Picking up on anxiety and stress of adults around them
It’s important to remember that in this year’s huge upsets to regular routines and rhythms of life, stress management techniques and coping strategies may have fallen away.
Being back out in the world and attending a busy classroom in person can be jarring, and potentially a source of anxiety.
We here at Gheorg are huge advocates of pooling learnings and resources in order to grow stronger together.
So we’ve put together a quick craft tutorial for sensory bottles. Not only a fun-yet-tranquil activity, it’s also a ‘back-packable’ tool that helps your child self-regulate anxiety and difficult emotions.
Sensory bottles (or jars) are a simple concept. Get a see-through plastic bottle or jar with a lid that seals watertight. If your little one is not-so-little and you feel it is safe, glass also works too.
It’s kind of like a floating snow globe!
Sensory bottle example with old toys.
Make it fun and in the spirit of a scavenger hunt!
Send kids on a scavenger hunt to find a suitable bottle (try the kitchen or recycling).
Help them to clean off the labels.
Fill the bottles with water and line them up on the bench.
Then tell them they can go and find objects to go floating in the water.
Four ways a sensory bottle helps manage anxiety:
It is a fun craft activity that your child may enjoy.
They can be made with supplies and found objects you already have at home.
Helps modulate your child’s sensory and emotional states as they play with their creation.
Contents can be changed or updated if your child gets bored with a theme.
We encourage parents to join in the fun too! Some possible themes could be:
Sensory bottle example with nature.
Natural objects like twigs, sand, leaves, seed cases and small pebbles.
Small plastic toys and figurines your kids have grown out of.
Bits of small plastic that they find in the garden (you know those little bits of broken peg you always seem to be finding in the vege patch?!).
Craft supplies like glitter, coloured sand and pom poms.
Metal objects like paper clips that will respond to a magnet held on the outside!
Just remember to give things a rinse off before you put them in the bottle so dust or dirt doesn’t cloud the water.
Mindfulness in motion:
As kids make and play with their creations, it’s a great mindfulness activity to bring their focus on how the objects interact with the water.
Do they go soggy? Or stay the same...
Do they float? Or sink to the bottom…
Once the lids are on and things are watertight, they can give the bottles a good shake and see how different motions and actions influence the behaviour of the objects inside the bottle.
The limit is your child’s imagination. Leave them to it and just observe how they respond to their new creation - you might have an ‘a-ha!’ of your own.
You may want to support your child to integrate their sensory bottle as a new mindfulness habit. It’s a great tool to turn to whenever your little one starts to feel anxious or big emotions!
Tune into your child’s energy
Keep an eye out for when they start to show their telltale signs of frustration or sadness. Redirect them with a gentle nudge to go and take another look at their sensory bottle and describe to you what they can see.
Encouraging your child to ground back into their senses might give you a prod to think about your own senses too.
We want to encourage parents to take care of their own mental health during this challenging year just as much as your children. Supporting your child with their emotions while also managing your own can be a lot on your plate. The Gheorg app can be a great way to share the load and support your child as well as your household! Download the app here and give it a try.