Home Made Sensory Toys: Nap Time Fun

Just a quick little post on one of our nap time shenanigans this week: Toy making!

Simple little Pepsi bottles

Earlier this week we made sensory bottles for Baby S. This is something I think we will be doing quite a lot of from now on as they were fun to make for A who is three and a half, and his 7 month old sister got new toys, win win. 

A helped me to fill the bottles and thread buttons onto ribbon, beads onto elastic and I just did the fiddly taping and knotting parts. 

There is the fiddly bead necklace which they are both obsessed with (guess what we've made again this weekend!) and then this little button fiddler (great to hang on the pram) and bottles.

Baby S

Button 'fiddler'

It was really fun making them while baby S slept and nice to have quick (and cheap!) new toys to keep them both entertained and teach baby S about new textures, shapes and sounds.

A made the big bottle when I was pregnant for his baby sisters arrival, he was so excited bless him and he's so happy now she likes it!

    

Bead necklace

      

The bottle A made while I was pregnant.

How to make them...

For the liquid bottles we used one part water to one part cheap baby oil. To the water we added a tiny bit of acrylic paint and mixed before adding to the bottle with the oil. As the two liquids won't mix, it gives a 'lava lamp' sort of look when they shake them up. We also added glitter, as everything needs glitter! 

For the noisy bottle we just used buttons and beads as they make a super clunky noise which the baby seems to like so nothing much more was needed. We started adding ribbon to liven up the bottles and add texture but A just wanted to get playing so will we finish that part another day. 

  

For the 'Button fiddler' we literally threaded buttons (with big holes) onto ribbon so they can be moved around, and tied super tight knots to keep it coming apart. The other one was simply cheap wooden craft beads on elastic.

We have started different sensory boxes so I will try and keep you updated with our homemade bits and bobs as we go along. I'm also trying to put together treasure baskets and make use of my ever growing craft stashes!

I'm off to drink some pop, we need the bottles :)