This winter sensory bottle is so easy to make that you can probably grab everything you need today and have it ready for your students or own kids in the morning! Don’t let the fact that it’s simple make you think that kids won’t love it, trust me they will. I plan on popping this on my science table with some magnifying glasses, some pine cones and this nature discovery bottle. The purpose of discovery or sensory bottles are wide open, I don’t tell my students how to use it, I simply allow them to explore. They can shake it, swirl it, use it to calm down, or investigate the contents with magnifying glasses. They are also awesome on the light table.
How To Make A Winter Sensory Bottle
Gather your materials. You will need some blue glitter glue, a Voss water bottle, and some plastic or foil snowflakes. I included some washi tape in my photo but I decided at the last minute not to put it on because it was so pretty without it.
Start by pouring out a little of ( or taking a sip of ) the water and pouring in some of the glitter glue. Pour in a good squeeze , about 1/6th of a bottle. Enough to make the water blue.
Add the snowflakes. 
Add the top on and shake. That’s it. 
I didn’t glue the top on right away. Only after I knew the colors and snowflakes worked well together, I actually added a few more snowflakes and then glued it on. I use apoxy when I have time for it to dry and not have any fumes, or hot glue if I am making it and using it within a day. The fumes from apoxy are just too strong to let kids handle it the same day. Both have proven over the years to be strong and keep lids on with normal use.
Crystal says
Never having made a sensory bottle before…why this particular water bottle and why not tap water?
Allison McDonald says
The water can be any water at all – the bottle is awesome for discovery bottles because there are no grooves and the opening is a little larger. The water itself is inconsequential.
Crystal says
Thank you.
Allison McDonald says
You are welcome!
Marta says
Are these VOSS bottles? I don’t see the name on it. Where did you order the Voss style bottle?
Allison McDonald says
They are the VOSS plastic bottles and I got them at Safeway, our local store carries them, so does our local Target and Walmart. I hope that helps, they have them on Amazon too but they are $$.
Di Livingston says
Last week Walgreens had them for $1.00
Sandy says
OK. Maybe “any water” will work, if it is city water, out of a tap, but, if you live in the country and have well water, you might want to use filtered or bottled water. The high iron content in our well water reacts with other substances, and causes gross discolorations. The iron content also tends to precipitate out, leaving unsightly clumps of minerals, and builds up on the sides of glasses or bottles. So, if you have well water, I suggest using bottled or filtered.
Allison McDonald says
We are on well water too so it was fine for us but it wouldn’t hurt to use bottled.
oj says
Is the Voss bottle glass? If so, Can I use plastic bottle too? My students are 3 years old.
Love your site!
Thanks, OJ
Allison McDonald says
Thanks!
It is a plastic VOSS bottle – my students are 3 too and today we were rolling this from one side of the class to the other to watch it swirl, no way we would do that with glass 🙂
Kristine says
Hello, love this! Quick question though, I have yet to find some foil snowflakes. Where did you get yours? Thank you so much.
Allison McDonald says
I found ours at Micheal’s, I hope that helps!
Kristine says
Thank you!
Melissa says
How much of the blue glitter glue did/do you use? The whole bottle? Half? 1/4?
Jen says
Abut how long does the glitter take to settle?
Allison McDonald says
about 60 seconds!
Deborah says
How much glue would you say to use? I’m going to make these with my daughters Second grade class for their Christmas party, and want to let the kids add the glue, but trying to figure out how to control the amount. Thank you!
Allison McDonald says
About 1/6th of a bottle, a big squeeze with the cap off.
Denise says
I fell in love with the idea when I came across this website via another website. I thought, this is easy, and decided that I would try this with the young toddlers in a class where I am doing my student teaching. This is perfect for the winter theme that I have to do; any way I used this idea today and the children loved it! We did exploration with magnifying glasses but the part they loved the most was shaking the bottles; that’s expected of course considering the age. I would definitely do it again. Thank you for this idea.
kim says
i was going to do this with my three year old class, but the glue and the water aren’t mixing. the glue just stays in a big glob .
Allison McDonald says
You might need to give it a good shake after you add the glue. Let me know if that helped, sorry for your trouble.
Kim says
Mind did not work either. The glue is in three blobs at the bottom of the bottle while the snowflakes are all at the top. Any suggestions?
Sandra says
My snowflakes all clumped together. Had to fish them out.
Allison McDonald says
Hmm I wonder why? They float freely for me. I’m sorry it didn’t work for you.
Barb says
So, does the glue mix with the water, or separate? I didn’t know, after it sits for a period of time, if the glue all settled at the bottom of the bottle?
Allison McDonald says
Once mixed it stays mixed.
Jesi says
How much glue do you add to the bottle of water?
Di Livingston says
How long has the bottle lasted? I have seen the hand sanitizers last six years and still going. So I was wondering if this compares? Thank you.
Allison McDonald says
This bottle is still in use today so close to 5 years so far.
Kimberly says
How much of the glue do you use? It doesn’t look like much in the picture.
mary meli says
what kind of snowflakes should you use? metallic ones? wanted to make a snowglobe for Valentine’s day also.
Allison McDonald says
Yes!