We are long time lovers of sensory bottles but this one wins the prize for all-time, most mesmerizing! It is a fabulous tool to use with children experiencing big emotions. They can breathe as they watch the Lego bricks fall and focus, slow down or calm down, depending upon the moment.
My girls haven’t stopped turning it over and watching it – the photos just don’t do it justice at all! In fact, every single time one of them walks past it, they flip it and stop and watch the bricks fall. They slow down and breathe, and I think it’s simply marvellous.
With just two simple ingredients that create the flow, this is easy to make but please be sure to read the directions carefully and to test your bottle well before sealing. You can also see the video below for an overview of the process.
Slow Motion Calm Down Sensory Bottle
You will need:
- Clear hair gel
- Warm water
- A tall bottle
- Lego 2 stud bricks
- Fine glitter
- Super glue or tape to secure lid (optional)
To make:
1. Combine 1 part hair gel to 6 parts warm water. Let cool completely and settle.
2. Pour gel/water mix into the bottle.
3. Add a little fine glitter and your Lego bricks. Push the bricks below the surface to remove any air bubbles.
4. Fill the bottle right to the very top with the remaining mixture.
5. Put on lid, shake vigourously and test your bottle. If the bricks fall too slowly, empty the mixture back into a bowl and add a little more warm water. Let cool again and re-test. If the bricks fall too quickly, mix in a little more hair gel. Let settle and re-test.
6. Once you are happy with the flow of your sensory bottle, secure the lid – a waterproof glue or wide, clear packaging tape will help to keep it secure from curious little fingers.
Flip your bottle over for some slow, relaxing breathing as you watch the bricks fall…as you can see, it’s quite mesmerising!
Click here for more great CALM DOWN RESOURCES in our Big Emotions collection.
Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.
This looks great! I want to try this but we do not have hair gel. What can I replace for? Thank you in advance
You could always try clear corn syrup.
clear glue 🙂
You can use glycerine instead of hair gel.
Is the ratio the same then, mine is not thick enough. Can I re-warm or do I have to start from scratch with heavier glycerin combo?
What other objects besides Legos would work well with this? I’d have enough Legos for a few bottles but I can see it becoming expensive. Trying to think of a cheaper and more readily available alternative! 🙂
Plastic beads, maybe? We have some larger plastic alphabet beads that I think could work quite well.
I’ve tried this a couple of times, the Lego bricks just float to the top of the bottle and stay there. What am I doing wrong? Also what is the equivalent to part gel in terms of cups? Thanks
It sounds like you could have too much of the hair gel. A few key points are using warm water and then letting it cool fully, and filling the bottle right to the top so that all of the air is removed. Good luck!
1 part hell 6 parts water. Don’t matter what size as long as they are 1 to 6.
What kind of bottle that is flat on on both ends.
Its brand of bottled water called Voss
I made this tonight but added way too much glitter so you can hardly see the lego. I’ll see what it’s like when cool in the morning. Less is more with glitter!
Unfortunately ours don’t go anywhere just sit where we shake them too much gel I guess
How big is the bottle pls?
I think it would help people if you tell them how many ml. the bottle is as well as the amount if hair gel and water. ? Looks awesome!!
Fill the empty bottle with water, then empty the water into a measuring cup so you know how many cups, total, the bottle holds.
Divide your water measurement by 7. That’s how you can find out the ratio of 1 part gel to 6 parts water.
1/7=gel 6/7=water
How do you remove th writing from the bottle?
How did you remove the writing from the bottle?
Peel off the label. I just used a fingernail and got the corner loose. It came off without a problem.
What I think would look great is painted beads of different sizes then they might fall gently at different speeds and maybe the child watching could guess which one would be first, last in the middle…………haven’t tried it yet but can’t wait to experiment.
Wendy
Sweet idea!
I learned that plastic buttons do not float lol unless you make the mixture heavier on the gel side.
Thanks for the cool project
I love your website. This is my first time to ever leave such a comment. It is all beautiful. Thanks! From your newest fan, Deb
Looks wonderful!! Tried a sensory bottle for my son, I’m looking foreword to trying this! Thank you!