Use Orbeez and a recycled water bottle to make 4 different water bead sensory bottles. These colourful calm jars are SO EASY to make, and they create beautiful reflections on the wall or table when you shine a light through them.
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What are Orbeez?
Orbeez are non-toxic, biodegradable water beads. These polymer beads were originally created to keep moisture in plants, but now you can find them used in all kinds of fun sensory activities (like our Orbeez stress ball!). Any brand of water beads will work for these sensory bottles — you don’t have to buy the actual Orbeez brand.
How can I make the other rainbow sensory bottles in your pictures?
The layered rainbow bottle with red on top is made the same as the one in the tutorial, except the rest of the bottle is filled with water. The sensory bottle with the “ghost orbs” (where the Orbeez are blurry and hard to see) is made by filling the bottle 1/3 of the way with many colours of Orbeez. Then the rest of the bottle is filled with water. The “bubbles” bottle is also filled 1/3 of the way with water beads and then baby oil is added to fill the bottle. In this version of the rainbow sensory bottle, the water beads look like colourful bubbles!
How long does a water bead sensory bottle last?
The rainbow sensory bottle without any liquid should last for at least a couple weeks, if not longer. The water beads may start to dry up and shrink, so if you’d like to store your sensory bottle for longer, simply fill the bottle to the top with water. Our water bead sensory bottles with baby oil and water look the same as when we first made them a month ago, so they should last for a really long time!
What else can I add in to rainbow sensory bottles?
We love the look and feel of the Orbeez, but there are lots of other items you can use to create a rainbow sensory bottle. Any small items that come in all different colours of the rainbow can be used. Try adding these to your rainbow sensory bottles:
Dyed pasta, rice, or corn kernels Paper clips Beads Hair elastics or loom bands Lego blocks Pom poms
What type of bottle is best for rainbow sensory bottles?
Definitely check in your recycling first before you go and buy a bottle! Look for a clear bottle with flat, non-ridged sides. This will allow you to see the water beads clearly! VOSS water bottles seem to be the “gold standard” for making sensory bottles, and it’s easy to see why! The 500 mL bottles have a wide opening, allowing you to easily add the water beads. These bottles also have a flat bottom, and a nice flat silver cap. They make DIY sensory bottles look like ones you can buy in a store! Another bottle to look for, if you can’t find VOSS, is Sparkling ICE. These bottles are also flat-sided, though their opening is much more narrow, and the bottom isn’t flat.
These rainbow sensory bottles are so cheerful and colourful! They’re a fun sensory activity, great for spring, a weather unit at school, or St. Patrick’s Day. Once the Orbeez are grown it only takes a few minutes to put one of these DIY sensory bottles together! Set your water bead sensory bottle in the window sill or use them as part of a light table for sensory play.
Here’s even more sensory bottle ideas:
DIY Sensory Bottles
Oil and Water Sensory Bottles
Anti-Gravity Galaxy in a Bottle
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
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