Nature Sensory Bottles

Sensory bottles are a good way to focus on the details of natural objects, such as the wrinkly textures on a lichen-covered twig or the detailed vein patterns on a leaf.

Materials:

• Empty plastic bottles

• Distilled water

• Natural objects

Directions:

1. Go on a hunt for interesting natural objects. Be sure that whatever you choose can be folded or otherwise squeezed through the opening in the plastic bottle.

2. Rinse the natural objects.

3. Fill the plastic bottle with distilled water (distilled water stays clear the longest).

4. If the opening of the bottle is small, ask an adult to carefully fold and add the natural object.

5. Seal the bottle. If a baby or small child is in the house, ask an adult to add a bead of super glue between the lid and bottle to keep it sealed. Young children should always be supervised with these bottles.

Extensions:

What kinds of natural objects break down the fastest?

Which ones break down the slowest?

Compare an unrinsed object in one bottle to a rinsed version of that object in another bottle. Which one breaks down faster?

Make a set of bottles each season to highlight how natural materials change throughout the year.