Your preschoolers will absolutely adore having this mermaid sensory bottle in their classroom! It will be a great addition to your rotation of sensory bottles for the school year.
The kids will love getting to explore a mermaid sensory bottle. Usually, you’ll see glitter or confetti floating around in sensory bottles, so the addition of mermaid charms and fishbowl beads is a welcomed change.
The kids will have a blast exploring this bottle, AND they’ll also have a plethora of learning opportunities! Here are just a few of the preschool concepts packed into this simple activity:
- Counting
- Measuring
- Volume
- Receptive and descriptive language
- Sink versus float
- Proprioceptive input
- Vestibular development
When it comes to learning opportunities, the list above is just the tip of the iceberg. I often find that the kids will get the most out of some activities if we just let them take the lead!
Mermaid Sensory Bottle
I know all sorts of children love mermaids, but preschool-aged kids seem to be especially fond of them. And there’s no better way to introduce the mythical creatures into your classroom than with a mermaid sensory bottle.
Related: Ocean Sensory Bottle
The mermaid sensory bottle will be the perfect addition to a multitude of preschool themes like under the sea, mythical creatures, summer, or swimming. Of course, kids love mermaids so much that they’d really get a kick out of the activity any time of year!
Materials for a Mermaid Calm Down Jar
You know I love a short list of materials! And this mermaid sensory bottle really fits the bill.
Here’s what we used:
- Clear sensory bottle
- 5 to 10 oz. of Elmer’s clear glue
- Fishbowl beads
- Mermaid charms
- Heavy-duty tape or hot glue (optional)
- Water
And as always with sensory bottles, you can change the materials based on what you have on-hand or your theme. I’ve found that mermaid charms are in very high demand! If you’re unable to find some of your own, here are a few other possibilities:
Regardless of what you put in your mermaid sensory jar, the kids will have so much fun while learning!
Before we move on to the directions, I did want to mention that it was difficult finding any kind of diverse mermaid beads. Not for a lack of trying though! Hopefully soon there will be more options. Mermaid tail beads are a great place to start while waiting, though.
How to Make a Mermaid Sensory Bottle
Now, it’s time to get started!
Sensory bottles are super easy to create. So you can definitely involve the students if you want to! They’ll get to learn about some cool science and math concepts along the way.
First, add the entire 5-ounce bottle of glue to the empty sensory bottle. You can add up to ten ounces of glue, depending on how quickly you want the charms to move through the liquid. If you want the contents to move slower, add more glue.
Next, add the fishbowl beads! We chose purple and blue beads because they matched our mermaid charms really well. But you can include the colors of your choice.
Related: Shell Painting Creates Beautiful Ocean Art for Kids
Then drop in the mermaid charms. I love how it looks like the mermaids are just resting on the ocean floor at this point.
Related: Pirate Sensory Bottle
After that, you’ll want to fill the remainder of the bottle with water and then tightly close the lid. This is where you might want to use the tape or hot glue to secure the lid. This will keep the jar from leaking and provide an additional layer of safety.
Finally, shake the bottle to mix the contents and you’re all set!
Mermaid Books for Kids
Reading to our children is so important for both their reading and language acquisition. And the kids just love a good story! So, I always like to include a wide variety of stories and books in my lesson planning each week.
It just makes sense to pair this mermaid sensory bottle with a fun mermaid-themed book. Let the kids pass around the bottle as you read them one of these fun mermaid stories:
I’ve included a variety of mermaid-themed books above. I’d love to hear about your favorite mermaid books for kids! My never-ending list of books would be happy for more ideas.
More Mermaid Activities
Are some of your students obsessed with mermaids and cant get enough of them? Not to worry! I’ve compiled a list of some other great mermaid-themed activities for you to explore with your students!
Appeal to the kids’ sense of touch and sight with the giant mermaid fabric sensory board from Homegrown Friends.
The mermaid necklaces from Mama.Papa.Bubba will be perfect for dress-up or pretend play!
Teach the kids how to draw mermaid scales on painted rocks from Projects with Kids. Then, hide them around your school so other people can find their very own treasure!
The mermaid tiara by Kids’ Craft Ideas is another great craft that the children can make and then use for pretend play!
You could also add mermaid charms or toys to these great ocean-themed activities from Fun-A-Day:
- Lay out some mermaid charms while the kids explore the gorgeous blue ocean slime!
- The children will love letting their mermaid toys take a dip in the ocean sensory bin!
What are your favorite mermaid-themed activities to do with the children? Be sure to let me know in the comments below!
Done-For-You Preschool Resources
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The mermaid sensory bottle pairs perfectly with our shells lesson plans! Click on the image below to learn more.
Want even more lesson plans that will pair well with the mermaid sensory bottle? We have you covered! Click on the images below to learn more about each product.
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