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sensory play

Rainbow Confetti Party Slime

By Sharla Kostelyk

Whether you are new to the slime craze train or barreling full speed ahead down the tracks, you’ll love this simple rainbow confetti party slime. Rainbow Confetti Party Slime #slime #sensoryplay #slimerecipe #kidsactivities

My kids are fully on board the slime train, so we have had the chance to make many types. By adding a small twist to each type, they never seem to get bored of it.

As with all slime recipes, supervise younger children, wash hands and surfaces that come into contact with the slime after playing, and avoid contact with clothing and hair.

Trust me on this one: slime and hair are a nasty combination!

Although I experiment with different types of slime, I prefer glue based slimes as they seem to have the best success rates. The type of glue you use matters, so rather than experiment, I suggest you use Elmer’s Washable School Glue. It’s tried and true.

There are many times when I suggest buying items from the dollar store or using a no-name brand, but this is not one of those times. If your kids are fully hooked on making slime, I suggest buying it by the gallon!

Rainbow Confetti Party Slime Recipe:

  • 1/2 cup Elmer’s white glue
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Wilton Color Right liquid (black)
  • 1/4 cup liquid starch
  • rainbow sprinkles

Adult supervision is recommended for making the slime as it does involve a chemical reaction. I like to use the wide popsicle sticks (also called craft sticks) for mixing because I can throw them away afterwards. Spoons work as well of course, but I find the glue a bit finicky to get off after.

  1. In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup of water with 1/2 cup of glue.
  2. Mix in the liquid color.*
  3. Pour in the liquid starch.
  4. Stir. Keep stirring until the liquid is gone and a glob of slime forms.
  5. Knead the slime. It will be stringy and goopy in the beginning, but will quickly become more and more the consistency of slime.
  6. Set the slime down and allow it to flatten out.
  7. Sprinkle with the confetti sprinkles and let it sit 20 seconds or so.
  8. Pick the slime up from underneath.

Elmer's Liquid School Glue, Washable, 1 GallonElmer’s Liquid School Glue, Washable, 1 GallonRainbow SprinklesRainbow SprinklesWilton Color Right Food Color BlackWilton Color Right Food Color BlackSta-Flo Liquid StarchSta-Flo Liquid Starch

*Gel based food dyes are hard to mix into slimes and even harder to create a uniform colour with. I use a liquid based food dye for this reason.

Note that as the slime is played with, the sprinkles will mix in and lose their coloring, but that’s all part of the fun. Once they are dissolved, it will look like a completely new slime! Slime is great for sensory play. This particular one would be fun to make at a birthday party. Each of the kids could take home their slime in a small plastic container as a party favour.

For awesome slime recipes at your fingertips, check out The Slime Book – From Edible Slime to Glow-in-the-Dark Slime – it’s got it all! 

Check out these other slime recipes: 

Crunchy Slime With Mardi Gras Beads

Holiday Jingle Bell SlimeHoliday Jingle Bell Slime

Filed Under: Crafts and Activities, Sensory Tagged With: sensory play, slime

Outdoor Sensory Scavenger Hunt for Kids

By Sharla Kostelyk

This outdoor sensory scavenger hunt is a great way to not only get kids outside and moving, but to also teach them about all 8 sensory systems. This activity is such a fun way for kids to get their ever important sensory input. Outdoor Sensory Scavenger Hunt #sensory #sensoryplay #sensoryprocessingexplained

This is a great hands-on sensorimotor activity that encourages children to explore their senses and the world around them.

How to create a Sensory Scavenger Hunt:

Setting up this scavenger hunt couldn’t be simpler! Print off the Sensory Scavenger Hunt checklist or create your own. Give each person a crayon or marker along with their sheet. Go outside and begin the scavenger hunt.

This can be done in your backyard, a nature preserve, or park. All that’s needed is the paper, something to mark it with, and a child eager to explore.

Use the activities on the checklist to teach or reinforce the different sensory systems. Each item lists the sensory system that it corresponds to. This is a great way to help kids learn the terminology.

The scavenger hunt includes samples for the visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, vestibular, proprioception, and interoception senses. 

This is an excellent example of a hands-on way to reinforce the concepts of sensory processing that are taught in the My Sensory Self Workbook for Kids. By allowing kids to actually do things representing each sensory system, it will make the concepts more concrete for them.

My kids completely loved the sensory scavenger hunt. They appreciated that it went beyond the usual “finding” that goes on in a typical scavenger hunt. One of my daughters particularly liked the rolling and balancing activities while another preferred being still and finding shapes in the clouds.

This activity is such a fun way to explore nature through your senses! Plus, it’s a great boredom buster.

You can also create your own sensory scavenger hunt specific to your backyard or indoor space. Kids can help design the scavenger hunts as well or help brainstorm additional ideas.

This gets great discussions going about all the different senses and how we can use them.

If your child finds rolling or balancing difficult, you can choose other vestibular tasks to replace those. I also have one daughter who can’t stand the smell of flowers, so while her sister loved smelling ALL the flowers in our yard, I let her smell the grass instead.
To get your free printable Sensory Scavenger Hunt, just enter your email address below. 

You can also combine this activity with creating a Nature Sensory Bottle or Nature Sensory Bin by collecting some of the items found along the way. Just like that, you’ll have a double dose of sensory fun!

Filed Under: Sensory, Summer Sensory Activities Tagged With: sensory play

The Mega List of Sensory Bottles

By Sharla Kostelyk

Sensory bottles are easy to make and serve a variety of purposes: exploration, discovery, sensory input, and calming. This mega list of sensory bottles can serve as a how-to or just spark your imagination to come up with your own ideas.

To make a sensory bottle, fill an empty water bottle with the materials you’ve chosen and replace the lid. You will most likely want to secure the lid using a hot glue gun. This is especially important if younger children will be using it. Below, find a video detailing how to make a calm down bottle.

Sensory bottles serve a variety of purposes: exploration, discovery, sensory input, and calming. This mega list of sensory bottles has so many ideas! #sensoryplay #sensorybottles

Sensory Bottles For Anytime:

Glow in the Dark Bottle

Bugs Sensory Bottle

Football Mini Sensory Bottle

Smelling Sensory Bottles from Things to Share and Remember

Pretty Princess Sensory Bottle here on The Chaos and The Clutter

Button Sensory Bottle from Keep Calm and Mommy On

Water-Bead Sensory Bottles for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers from Living Montessori Now

Lilac Sensory Bottle from Parenting Chaos

Light Saber Sensory Bottles Star Wars Activity for Kids from Little Bins for Little Hands

Superheroes Sensory Bottle from here on The Chaos and The Clutter

Batman Sensory Bottle from Growing Hands-On Kids

Sensory Bottles that Glow in the Dark from Fun-a-Day

American Girls Sensory Bottle from here on The Chaos and The Clutter

Minion Sensory Bottle from Little Bins for Little Hands

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Sensory Bottle Activity by Little Bins for Little Hands

Rice Sensory Bottle from Mama Instincts

Water Bead Sensory Bottles from Parenting Chaos

Despicable Me Minions Sensory Bottle from here at The Chaos and The Clutter

Learning Sensory Bottles:

Van Gogh Starry Night Discovery Bottle

ABC Bottle

Money Sensory Bottle for Math Unit from here on The Chaos and The Clutter

Shark Week Bottle

Nature Sensory Bottle

Alphabet Calm Down Bottle from Preschool Inspirations

Sensory Bottles Used to Explore Shapes with Printables from JDaniel 4’s Mom

Alphabet Sensory Bottle from Parenting Chaos

STEAM Camp: How to Make a Magnetic Field Sensory Bottle from Left Brain Craft Brain

Science Discovery Bottles for Sensory Learning from Little Bins for Little Hands

Nature Inspired Sensory Bottles from Rhythms of Play

Farm, Zoo, & Ocean Animal Sensory Bottles from Living Montessori Now

Zoology Sensory Bottles by The Kavanaugh Report

Rust Resistant Magnetic Discovery Bottle from Preschool Inspirations

Sensory Bottle Biomes for Kids by Parenting Chaos

Exploring Liquid Density with Sensory Bottles from Buggy and Buddy

Magnetic Discovery Bottles from Preschool Inspirations

Arctic Sensory Bottle here on The Chaos and The Clutter

Calm Down Sensory Bottles:

Bedtime Calming Bottle

Slow Motion Calm Down Sensory Bottle by Childhood 101

Butterfly Sensory Calm Down Jar from Rhythms of Play

Slow-Falling Beads Sensory Bottle by Teaching Mama

Glitter Bottle Calm Down Tool Sensory Play from Little Bins for Little Hands

Magic Two Ingredient Sensory Bottle from Preschool Inspirations

Easy Glow in the Dark Beads Sensory Bottle from Mom-Inspired Life

Silver and Gold Glitter Sensory Bottles from Fun-a-Day

Seasons & Weather Sensory Bottles:

Season Sensory Bottles from Mama.Papa.Bubba.

Spring Sensory Bottle here on The Chaos and the Clutter

Spring Flower Sensory Bottle from Kids Craft Room

DIY Butterfly Sensory Bottle by Rhythms of Play

Simple Fall Sensory Bottle here on The Chaos and The Clutter

October Fall Sensory Bottle by Teaching Mama

Windy Fall Leaves Sensory Bottle from Rhythms of Play

Weather Sensory Bottles for Circle Time by TwoDaloo

Sky Sensory Bottle here on The Chaos and The Clutter

Sun and Rain Sensory Bottles from Creative Family Fun

Melted Snowman Sensory Bottle here on The Chaos and the Clutter

Penguin Sensory Bottle from Teaching Mama

DIY Frozen-Inspired Snowstorm Sensory Bottle by Rhythms of Play

Snowman Sensory Bottle Snowman by Little Bins for Little Hands

Snowflake Sensory Bottle here on The Chaos and The Clutter

Ocean Sensory Bottles:

Ocean Sensory Bottle here on The Chaos and the Clutter

Nature Beach Bottle

At the Beach Sensory Bottle from here on The Chaos and The Clutter

Glittery Mermaid Sensory Bottle from here on The Chaos and The Clutter

Shark Sensory Bottle from Stir the Wonder

Glittering Mermaid Tail Sensory Bottle from Rhythms of Play

Mini Aquarium in a Bottle: Ocean Sensory Play from A Little Pinch of Perfect

Ocean in a Bottle with 3 Simple Ingredients from Happy Hooligans

DIY Sea Shells Sensory Bottle Calm Down Jar from Rhythms of Play

Sky & Outer Space Sensory Bottles:

Outer Space Discovery Bottle by Artsy Momma

Space Sensory Bottle here on The Chaos and the Clutter

Slow Falling Star Discovery Bottle from Growing Hands-on Kids

Glow Sticks Sensory Bottle from Teaching Mama

Gorgeous Rainbow Sky Sensory Bottles from Kids Craft Room

Galaxy in a Jar by Lemon Lime Adventures

Star Gazing Discovery Bottles by Pre-K Pages

Colours & Rainbow Sensory Bottles:

Rainbow Loom Sensory Bottle from Teaching Mama (because we all have hundreds of those still lying around our houses!)

Colour Mixing Science Sensory Bottle

Rainbow Rainfall Sensory Bottle here on The Chaos and the Clutter

Mini Rainbow Sensory Bottles by The Kavanaugh Report

Rainbow Button Sensory Bottle by Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

Rainbow Sensory Bottle with Baby Oil from Ryan and Marsha

Color Mixing Sensory Bottle by Preschool Inspirations

Kindness Potions Sensory Bottles from the Imagination Tree

Amazing Rainbow Sensory and Discovery Bottles from Preschool Inspirations

Holiday Sensory Bottles:

New Year’s Sensory Bottle for Kids here on The Chaos and the Clutter

Christmas Ornaments Sensory Bottle here on The Chaos and The Clutter

Christmas Tree Sensory Bottle

Nativity Sensory Bottle

Deconstructed Christmas Tree Discovery Bottle

Valentines Sensory Bottle by Little Hands for Little Hands

Valentines Sensory Bottle here on The Chaos and the Clutter

Floating Hearts Sensory Bottle from Teaching Mama

St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bottle here on The Chaos and the Clutter

4th of July Discovery Bottle from Growing Hands-On Kids

4th of July Sensory Bottle from Teaching Mama

Halloween Sensory Bottle from Teaching Mama

Monster Sensory Bottle here on The Chaos and the Clutter

Christmas Sensory Bottle from Teaching Mama

Christmas Tree Sensory Bottle from Stir the Wonder

Christmas I-Spy Discovery Bottle here on The Chaos and The Clutter

Materials to make Sensory Bottles:

When it comes to making sensory bottles, the only limit is your imagination! You can use such a variety of materials. You need to start with an empty water bottle and filler (such as water, warm water mixed with clear glue or glitter glue, gel, hand sanitizer, sand, or rice).

Next, can add whatever you want. Any type of confetti, small toys, objects found in nature, craft supplies, beads, erasers, or sequins work well. The figures in Toobs work well in most sensory bottles, though not all the figures are small enough to fit through the hole in the bottle top.

Voss Artesian Still Water 4x500ml Plastic BottlesVoss Artesian Still Water 4x500ml Plastic BottlesSafari Ltd Insects TOOBSafari Ltd Insects TOOBSafari Ltd Pets TOOBSafari Ltd Pets TOOBSafari Ltd Space TOOBSafari Ltd Space TOOBSafari Ltd Rainforest TOOBSafari Ltd Rainforest TOOBSafari Ltd Flowers TOOBSafari Ltd Flowers TOOBSafari Ltd Fruits & Vegetables ToobSafari Ltd Fruits & Vegetables ToobMini Construction ToysMini Construction ToysSea ShellsSea ShellsElmer's Liquid School Glue, ClearElmer’s Liquid School Glue, ClearElmer's Liquid Glitter GlueElmer’s Liquid Glitter GlueHand SanitizerHand SanitizerCreative Converting Swirls ConfettiCreative Converting Swirls ConfettiWater Beads Rainbow PackWater Beads Rainbow PackFishbowl BeadsFishbowl BeadsGlow In The Dark Pigment PowderGlow In The Dark Pigment PowderBe Amazing Insta-Snow JarBe Amazing Insta-Snow JarPerler BeadsPerler BeadsStar BeadsStar BeadsSequins and Spangles Shaker JarSequins and Spangles Shaker JarGlitter PowderGlitter PowderPompomsPompoms

Looking for sensory play ideas and answers to all your questions about sensory processing? Check out Sensory Processing Explained: A Handbook for Parents and Educators. 

Filed Under: Sensory Tagged With: sensory play

At the Beach Sensory Bottle

By Sharla Kostelyk

What makes this beach sensory bottle unique is that we made it using kinetic sand. This ensures that the sand stays separate from the water. We used shells that the kids picked at the beach on Vancouver Island a few years ago, making it a nice way to tie memories into their sensory play. We love Vancouver Island. One of our sons was born there so vacationing there always creates special memories.

At the Beach Sensory Bottle

At the Beach Sensory Bottle

Materials needed:

  • water bottle (I used a Voss bottle)
  • water
  • blue food colouring
  • kinetic sand
  • blue glass beads or sea glass
  • seashells
  • optional: hot glue

Empty the water out of the water bottle. I know that seems backwards since you’ll be adding water back in, so you can pour it into a measuring cup to use in the bottle afterwards. Fill the bottle about a third of the way with the kinetic sand. Using a funnel makes this easier to do.

Kinetic Sand - Beach SandKinetic Sand – Beach SandVOSS Water Plastic BottlesVOSS Water Plastic BottlesSea GlassSea Glass

Mix two drops of food colouring into the water and fill the bottle most of the way to the top with the blue water. Drop in the water beads and seashells. Put the top back on the sensory bottle. If you want to, you can secure it in place with hot glue.

The kinetic sand creates a lovely beach effect when a child tips the bottle or shakes it up. This beach sensory bottle is a nice way to bring the beach home with you, particularly if you use seashells that your child gathered in the sand themselves.

Are you looking for other easy sensory activities that can actually be created at home? Join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities (just pop your email into the box below) and get a printable list of 175 Great Sensory Ideas.

Ocean Sensory Bottle

Squishy Shark Sensory Bag

Filed Under: Sensory Tagged With: sensory bottles, sensory play

Glitter Sensory Bottle

By Sharla Kostelyk

Are your girls as obsessed with mermaids as mine are? Ever since they got their Fin Fun Mermaid Tails, they have been swimming like mermaids, reading about mermaids, drawing mermaids, and pretending to be mermaids. I made them a squishy mermaid sensory bag which they really enjoyed, so I decided to make them another mermaid themed sensory item. This glittery mermaid sensory bottle creates a wonderful calm down effect.

Mermaid Sensory Bottle #sensory #mermaidGlitter Mermaid Sensory Bottle:

Materials needed:

  • water bottle (I used a Voss bottle)
  • mermaid-like glitter
  • blue flower sequins
  • liquid hand soap
  • pink mermaid scale looking washi tape
  • optional: hot glue

  1. Empty water out of the sensory bottle and fill most of the way with liquid hand soap.
  2. Drop in the sequins and a lot of glitter. The key to making this sensory bottle look like a mermaid tail is to use a lot of glitter. Add more than you think you should!
  3. Put the lid back on the sensory bottle, securing it with hot glue if you want it to stay in place. Give it a good shake.

Mermaid, Extra Fine Poly GlitterMermaid, Extra Fine Poly GlitterVOSS Water Plastic BottlesVOSS Water Plastic BottlesLiquid Hand SoapLiquid Hand Soap

Wrap some of the washi tape around the lid. I only put one piece, but if you wanted to, you could cover the whole lid for a different look.

I used many of the same items to create a squishy mermaid sensory bag. My girls were big fans!


Join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities (just pop your email into the box below) and get a printable list of 175 Great Sensory Ideas.

Ocean Discovery BottlePretty Princess Sensory Bottle

Filed Under: Sensory Tagged With: sensory bottles, sensory play

American Girls Doll Sensory Bag

By Sharla Kostelyk

If you have kids who love American Girls, this American Girls Doll Sensory Bag is an easy sensory activity to make for them.

American Girls Sensory Bag #sensoryAmerican Girls Doll Sensory Bag

I found a few American Girls mini figures on sale at the pharmacy recently (a strange place to find materials for sensory play!) and bought them in order to make a sensory bag and sensory bottle with them. I knew my girls would be excited.

Materials needed:

  • resealable plastic bag
  • liquid hand soap (I used a grapefruit one because it had a slight pink tint to it which I thought went well with the theme)
  • American Girls doll mini figures
  • rhinestones
  • optional: duct tape

To make this American Girls Sensory Bag, all you need to do is fill a plastic bag about half full of the liquid hand soap or hand sanitizer, add the rhinestones and American Girls mini figures, remove the excess air, and seal. It’s so simple.

If you want, you can ensure a better seal by using duct tape on all the sides of the sensory bag. As with any sensory activity, children should be supervised while playing. 

Join me for a free 5 part email series Sensory Solutions and Activities and get your Sensory System Behaviours Easy Reference Cards.

American Girls Doll Sensory BottleAmerican Girls sensory bottle square

Unicorn Sensory Bag

Trolls Sensory Bag

Filed Under: Sensory Tagged With: sensory bags, sensory play

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