Sensory bottles are so easy to make, and really relaxing for children to use as they watch the contents of the bottle float all around. We’ve made a few different types in the past, but I fancied making some glow in the dark sensory bottles with the kids. They are fun to play with in the day, but give an even cooler effect at night time! We made a couple of different glow in the dark bottles using supplies from Hawkins Bazaar, and have used these glowing supplies for a couple of other sensory play ideas too.
Glowing Moonstones Sensory Bottle
The first glowing sensory bottle that we made is using ‘glowing moonstones’ along with water. I used a large 600ml size plastic Voss water bottle to give plenty of space for the moonstones to move around.
In the day time or in the light the moonstones are white and although they are not too heavy, they still give some weight to the bottle which gives extra sensory input too. They do float around within the water, once you shake the bottle. It’s not easy to show the full effect in photos, so you will have to give it a try.
Once it gets dark, the moon stones will glow brightly, with a green-ish tone. They don’t require any black light or special equipment – as long as they have been exposed to light beforehand, then they will glow well.
We bought our glowing moonstones for 3.99 per pack at Hawkins Bazaar but those are no longer available so check out the options at Amazon, there are a few different colors which look great! and make a great item to add to your supplies for sensory play.
They make a good sensory bin filler too, although you may want a few packs depending on the size of your tray.
Glowing Floating Stars Sensory Bottle
We also made a sensory bottle using stick n glow stars. This is made with the same method as the glowing moonstones bottle, just water plus the stars.
You can also add glycerin to make them float more slowly like with our loom band sensory bottle.
To make this sensory bottle, we used only the small sized stars from the stick n glow pack and kept the others for another project. (We made glow in the dark i-spy bags with rice, which I will share here soon!)
The stars float around softly within the water, and just like with the moon stones they will glow automatically in a dark environment.
This bottle is made using the Stick n Glow stars the same type you can use to stick on the ceiling if you like.
More Sensory Bottles
You might also like these simple ideas:
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Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
Love this idea!!
I absolutely love these glow in the dark sensory bottles! They are not only fun to make but also provide a mesmerizing visual experience for children, especially in the dark. The glowing moonstones and floating stars create a calming and magical effect. Thank you for sharing these fantastic sensory play ideas!