DIY Butterfly Sensory Bottle Calm Down Jar

Tipping this DIY butterfly sensory bottle from top to bottom keeps the colorful rainbow of butterflies flying gently through it.

Here’s an easy butterfly sensory bottle DIY calm-down jar craft filled with beautiful butterflies. Use this step-by-step butterfly DIY sensory bottle tutorial to make gorgeous calm-down bottles that can be used as a calm-down tool to help children learn to self-regulate, a science teaching tool, a meditation aid, and a timeout timer.

Or use homemade sensory bottle crafts like this butterfly calm-down jar for no-mess safe sensory play for toddlers that are too young to play with small pieces and parts that are unsafe for them to touch like tiny little butterflies. And you might also enjoy making a sparkling mermaid tail sensory bottle craft. For more information about sensory bottles and their uses, visit calm down sensory bottles 101.

Related: DIY Butterfly Tree

How to Make a Butterfly Sensory Bottle Calm Down Jar

This DIY sensory bottle is super easy to make, is fun to play with, and can help soothe my spirited daughter in a snap. She enjoys tipping the bottle upside down and right side up again to watch the butterflies drift to and fro. Isn’t it gorgeous!? You might also enjoy our see-through rainstick sensory bottle step-by-step DIY tutorial or this list of nature sensory bottles.

If you are ready to make this soothing calm-down jar filled with butterflies for kids and adults of all ages. First, gather the butterfly bottle craft supplies on the list below. Next, scroll down to the next section and follow the step-by-step sensory bottle instructions to make this gorgeous DIY butterfly calm-down jar filled with colorful butterflies flying around inside of it as shown in the photograph of my daughter below.

Related: Glittering Mermaid Tail Sensory Bottle

DIY Butterfly Sensory Bottle Recipe Materials

• New or recycled water bottle or mason jar
• Goo Gone (optional)
• Butterflies – or try THESE or THESE butterflies
• Gold glitter (optional)
• Clear liquid hand soap
• Super Glue (optional)
• Duct tape (optional)

Related: See-Through Rainstick Musical Sensory Bottle

DIY Butterfly Sensory Bottle Recipe with Step-by-Step Directions

First, gather the sensory bottle craft supplies listed above. Next, follow the step-by-step instructions to make this butterfly calming tool.

4. Add glitter (optional).

• Sprinkle in a few shakes of gold glitter.
• Start with a smaller amount of glitter than you think you need to make this homemade sensory bottle. You can always add more glitter later, while it’s almost impossible to remove too much glitter from a DIY sensory bottle.

5. Pour clear liquid hand soap into the bottle or Jar.

• Fill the bottle up the rest of the way with clear liquid hand soap and ensure that the water is to the top so that no air remains inside the butterfly sensory bottle DIY.
• To do this:
  • Work over a sink and keep pouring the hand soap into the sensory bottle until the bubbles at the top overflow and fall down the sides of the butterfly calm-down jar.
  • Next, screw the cap on and rinse and dry the butterfly sensory bottle before moving to the next step.

6. Give the butterfly sensory bottle a gentle shake and a swirl.

• Place the lid on the bottle and shake it up.
• Warning: After giving this butterfly sensory bottle a shake, it may be a bit murky for a few hours until the contents mix and settle.
• It’s normal for calm-down bottles with liquid hand soap and water in the recipe to be cloudy for several hours after the first shake as long as you fill the bottle to overflowing as instructed in step five.
• However, once the contents settle, this sensory bottle DIY will remain clear each time you shake it or turn it upside down.

7. Glue on the lid of your DIY butterfly sensory bottle (optional).

• Read the sensory bottle tips in the next section before gluing the bottle shut.

Related: Seashells Calming Sensory Bottle

DIY Butterfly Sensory Bottle Tips

Gently tip the sensory bottle from top to bottom to watch the butterflies slowly move and fly. Continue to play with this butterfly sensory bottle for a day or two, and make sure you like how it moves.

If you want the butterflies to move faster, pour some liquid and add more water. Or, if you want the butterflies to move slower, pour some fluid out and add more clear liquid hand soap. Want more glitter? Add some more. Easy peasy!

Once you are happy with your DIY butterfly sensory bottle, glue on the lid with super glue and hand it over to your kids. Or, leave it unglued. There are positives and negatives to either gluing the bottle or not gluing it.

Not gluing the butterfly calm down jar shut makes it possible to open it again, which can be a true nightmare (and a possible trip to the emergency room) if your toddler or preschooler opens it in an attempt to drink it or pour it all over the house or classroom. As I said, both of those options would be a true nightmare.

While older children, teens, and adults, might like to be able to open the sensory bottle in the future to change up the contents. So choose the option with the least amount of danger or negatives depending on the age of the children you are making it for. Or, make this calming sensory bottle filled with soothing sea shells.

Related: Book-Inspired Rainbow Science for Kids

Butterfly Sensory Bottle Science Lesson or STEM Activity

Feel free to add a science lesson on viscosity while making this sensory bottle–there are many fun ways to do this. One way, for example, is to ask children to notice how the different ingredients move inside the bottle.

Another way to spark children’s curiosity is by inviting them to make another butterfly sensory bottle without hand soap (use only water). Next use the butterfly sensory bottle made with only water to compare how fast the butterflies move in each one.

Asking these types of questions, and setting up simple science experiments for children at home or in the classroom, will cause them to ask a lot of why questions and this works to inspire them to discover the answers to the questions they seek, which is how learning happens best! You might also enjoy this massive list of outdoor learning ideas and nature activities for kids.

Related: Books That Help Kids Understand Their Feelings

Calm Down Sensory Bottles

DIY Calm down sensory bottles is a great science teaching aid, a timeout tool, and can help an anxious child (or adult) calm down and unwind. And this also makes this butterfly sensory bottle a great tool to help children develop self-regulation skills.

Calm-down bottles like this butterfly bottle also provide an easy and safe way for babies and toddlers to investigate small items that are unsafe for them to touch, without the risk of choking on them.

To learn more about sensory bottles, their uses, how to make them, and troubleshooting tips, check out Calm Down Sensory Bottles 101.

And for more fun do-it-yourself ideas for DIY moms, dads, and teachers, check out these DIY Projects for kids and adults!

Learn more about Rhythms of Play HERE!

If you liked this DIY Butterfly Bottle, You might also like:

• DIY Butterfly Tree Centerpiece
• Frozen-Inspired Snowstorm Sensory Bottle
• Nature-Inspired Sensory Bottles
• DIY Monarch Butterfly Peg Dolls
• Printable Sunflower Crown