A Promising Invention: Sensory Bottles

Educator Maria Montessori has made a promising invention available: sensory bottles, a tool to help children relax in times of stress. But do not think that this miracle device only soothes children. Along with calming down the little ones, they can also help us parents.

Although tantrums are normal at certain ages, when they become more frequent, we begin to worry, stress, and lose hope.

It is usually very difficult to control a child’s crying or irritating behavior, so we end up giving in to many of their requests, all because we don’t know how we should act.

But there are various theories and recommendations on the subject of helping parents to take control of the infamous tantrums, in which a few stand out that are practical, have a good reputation, and have been widely proven.

On the other hand, we should take the fact into consideration that children may be acting in a negative way because of their age, while in other cases there may be behavioral disorders.

In any case, sensory bottles are meant to take care of those temporary situations, whose origin can be clearly identified.

Things to Know About Sensory Bottles

Maria Montessori is an educator who created a multi-level educational method. This method is implemented with different activities and formats, but its ultimate goal is to educate the child without the need for punishment, but by taking advantage of their natural abilities.

We know that there are many things that children do not understand, and that they do not yet have our ability to adapt to certain environments, or to communicate. That is why little ones may act in an incomprehensible way, which can frustrate us and leave us struggling to find the right response.

The sensory bottle is one of the inventions included within the Montessori method. It is designed for children between two and six years old.

According to studies, this object is ideal for keeping children entertained, when its purpose has been previously established and is known by the child.

How to Make Your Own

One characteristic of sensory bottles is that you can make them yourselves at home. To do this, you will need the following materials.

• A transparent or translucent jar or bottle with a lid, preferably made of plastic to avoid it breaking in case of falls.
• 1 or 2 parts adhesive crystalline glue that contains glitter. This can be tablespoons or the desired amount.
• In addition to the glitter contained in the glue, we recommend adding 3 or 4 additional teaspoons of glitter in eye-catching colors.
• A little food coloring in your child’s favorite color or perhaps the one you identify with the most.
• Shampoo, preferably a neutral one for children. Glycerin may also be used.
• Hot water.
• A hot glue gun.
• Hot glue sticks.

Putting It Together

• Put all of the materials inside the bottle, in appropriate quantities for the size of the container. It is necessary to leave space in the top of the bottle without liquid, but only a little more than one centimeter.
• You could also include small toys, such as boats, geometric figures, and hearts – taking care not to overdo it so that they can still be seen from inside the jar.
• Mix in all of the materials and make sure that the lid is sealed properly with hot glue, to prevent the child from being able to open the jar.

In a properly made sensory bottle, the materials move around in a very interesting way. The different densities of the shampoo, water and glue will allow each of the elements to move at different speeds and in different ways.

Benefits of Sensory Bottles

Sensory bottles have many advantages as far as behavior is concerned, because they allow the child a chance to slow down. To use it, the child shakes the jar and observes the movement of the components within it, which will keep them entertained and focused.

The sensory jar is a great way to occupy your child’s attention for a short time, but it is particularly recommended for helping children recover from their tantrums.

The time that it takes for the glitter to settle can work as a kind of penalty that the child needs to wait for in order to continue with a healthy conversation.

Other benefits are:

• They boost their attention span.
• They stabilize their energy levels.
• They are ideal for relaxing the mind and building sleep habits.
• They are useful during long trips or times that require your child to wait patiently.
• They can work for restless children or those who are at risk of hyperactivity.