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    Home » Sensory Activities

    Modified: Nov 22, 2022 · Published: Jul 3, 2018 by Vicky · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    Glow in the Dark Sensory Bottle

    300 shares

    Are you looking for Sensory Activities for Preschoolers? I get lots of requests for mess-free sensory play, and this Glow in the Dark Sensory Bottle certainly fits the bill.You can make it ahead of time, and watch as your child delights while it glows.

    We all know that sensory play is essential for a child's development, but sometimes, because of our situation or season in life, we need to keep activities more contained. This sensory bottle just does that!

    This Glow in the Dark Sensory Bottle is fun to play with during the day or when the lights are out. Kids will love finding the various items in the jar and will be amazed at how it glows! #sensorybottle #sensoryjar #glowinthedark

    Always supervise your child when they are playing with this sensory bottle. If you are using a glass bottle, make sure your child is using it on a soft surface.

    Glow in the Dark Sensory Bottle

    Supplies:

    Glass or clear plastic bottle with lid. I love these Voss bottles, but if you are concerned about using glass, use plastic.
    Glue
    3 coffee filters
    Scissors
    Paper Towel Roll
    Sky Toob Toys
    ⅞ inch Rainbow Ribbon 
    Glow in the dark rice

    For the glow in the dark rice you will need:
    Hand sanitizer, 1 tablespoon
    1 cup of rice; uncooked
    1 teaspoon of glow in the dark pigment - I used blue
    Zip top bag
    Newspaper or paper towels

    supplies to make a sensory bottle

    You will want to make the glow in dark rice ahead of time. Place uncooked rice in a zip top bag. Add the hand sanitizer and zip. Shake well to coat. Open bag and add the glow in the dark pigment and shake until the rice is evenly coated. Pour the rice onto newspaper or paper towels and allow to dry for 45 minutes.

    To make the rest of the filling for this Glow in the Dark Sensory Bottle, you will cut off sections of the paper towel roll to fit the width of the ribbon.

    colored rice, rainbow ribbon and scissors

    Once you have cut off the sections of the paper towel roll, they will kind of look like a lemon. You can then cut them in half. Wrap the ribbon around the section of the paper towel roll and glue it on.

    rainbow ribbon and blue rice

    rainbow ribbon

    Once you have made the rainbows, you can begin layering the dried rice and Toobs planes into the bottle.

    items for a sky sensory bottle

    To add some clouds to the glow in the dark sensory bottle, roll up the coffee filters into balls, and add these in layers with the rice, ribbon rainbows and Toob toys.

    crumbled coffee filters

    items for a glow in the dark sensory bottle


    As the bottle fills up, secure the lid tightly so kids can't get it open. I have also occasionally hot glued my lid in place to make sure the contents stayed put. You can also hot glue a rainbow to the top as a decoration. Do not use this to hold the bottle though since it cannot support it.

    glow in the dark sensory bottle


    Turn off the lights for a glow in the dark sensory experience, or use the bottle as an I Spy toy in the daylight hours. Sensory bottles can provide hours of fun for kids and they shake, listen and discover. This Rice Sensory Bottle from Mama Instincts is great for babies and toddlers.

    If you're searching for further kid-friendly activities, have a look at Green Kid Crafts, a monthly children's craft subscription box that promotes creativity while instilling an appreciation and respect for the environment in young children.

    glowing sensory bottle with rice

            

    If you liked this glow in the dark sensory bottle, you'll also enjoy:

    Calming Bottles

    Sensory Bags for Babies and Toddlers

    More Sensory Activities

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      Fluffy Chocolate Birthday Slime
    • How to Make Snow Slime
    • Sensory Activities For Preschoolers pin
      Sensory Activities For Preschoolers
    • penguin sensory bin
      Penguin Sensory Bin

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Megan says

      June 06, 2019 at 8:41 pm

      This was such an easy project thanks to your instructions! My rice color isn’t as vibrant as yours, but it’s still a pretty blue. I added mini glow stars as my objects, which helped with the overall brightness of the bottle. The “glowing” effect is there, but how did you get your rice to glow so brilliantly?

      Reply
    2. Sapana V says

      July 03, 2018 at 9:51 am

      Wow! I love DIY experiments. How come I never thought of glow in the dark rice? Very helpful post. Will try this with my kids.

      Reply
    Vicky from Mess for Less

    I'm Vicky, the founder of Mess For Less, which I started in 2011 to share easy, family-friendly recipes. With over a decade of experience as a home chef and recipe developer, I love creating meals that bring people together. I also design play and learning activities for kids, using my background as a former teacher with a Master’s degree in education. Learn more about me.

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