This alphabet sensory bottle is the perfect way to work on the alphabet and have an awesome sensory bottle at the same time! It’s one of our many sensory bottles that you’ll love!
I am seriously addicted to mesmerizing sensory bottles. At one point, I had a calm down jar that I “tested out” for an entire week before I gave it to my class, so I am always thrilled for the next irresistible find.
The sensory bottle that I am spotlighting today is one of my all-time favorites, and it has that nice slow and gentle flow. It’s the kind that I could watch for hours. Now you all know why I’m a preschool teacher — I just want to stare at discovery bottles all day!
Alphabet Sensory Bottle
An alphabet discovery bottle is so fun and easy to make, it lasts forever, and it reinforces the alphabetic principle. Plus, I must say that the ABCs have never been so calming and relaxing!
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It takes about 15 to 20 seconds for the letter beads to go to the other side of the bottle, and I love the slow somersaults they do as they float upward. We love just flipping it over and over as it calms and soothes.
We love putting our sensory bottles on tables, near the library in a classroom, or somewhere at eye level.
Materials for an Alphabet Sensory Bottle
- A 27 oz clean and empty VOSS brand water bottle
- 24 oz clear corn syrup
- 26 or more plastic alphabet beads
- 1-2 oz warm water
- Super glue
I didn’t this time, but I really wish I’d used a 27 fl. oz. VOSS plastic water bottle. I write about where I find VOSS water bottles and what good substitute bottles are over on my post about How to Make a Perfect Sensory Bottle.
How to Make An Alphabet Discovery Bottle
- Put the letter beads into an empty and clean bottle.
- Next, add 24 oz clear corn syrup to the bottle. Add a very slight amount of hot water (1-2 ounces) and shake. The sensory bottle will look streaky at first and then the liquid will all blend together. It can take a few hours to fully blend. I personally like the streaky swirls in the meantime!
- To make the letters move quicker, add more water. To make the letters move slower, add more corn syrup.
- Once the liquid inside the Alphabet Sensory bottle glides as desired, glue the lid securely with super glue so that no little fingers can get inside!
Using an Alphabet Sensory Bottle
Sensory bottles can be hit or miss for some children. I found that this particular letter sensory bottle was a huge hit in my class. Plus, my class is used to me making sensory bottles, so they absolutely adore them.
Some children will just want to observe the letters floating as they may find it relaxing. If a child starts pointing to the letters and naming their names, see if they can identify a letter sound. Reinforce any letters that they identify. Connect those letters to any relevant words with that letter sound.
If you have a child who isn’t interested in it at first, don’t fret. They might need some time to warm up to it. You could try reading alphabet books like Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom, or pointing out the letters in their name. That’s the word that children are most interested in!
While I used these specific alphabet lacing beads, any plastic alphabet bead would be a good substitute. Other ways that we use these lacing beads are with alphabet games.
I love the blend of literacy and science with sensory bottles because it is a great way to get children interested in the alphabet in a true hands-on activity.
For more alphabet fun, check out our printable alphabet posters and letter cards to help children work on literacy skills. Fun card game ideas are included! These alphabet posters are a perfect fit for preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, or homeschool.
Related Sensory Ideas Your Preschoolers will Love
These are our some our favorite sensory bags, bottles, and experiences for preschoolers!
- Alphabet Sensory Bag
- 3 Ingredient Galaxy Calm Down Bottle
- 6 Ways to Make a Calm Down Jar
- Alphabet Bead Loose Parts Tray
- Name Sensory Bottle
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- Easy Outdoor Color Changing Volcano with Baking Soda and Vinegar - September 10, 2024
- Rainbow Sensory Bottle - March 3, 2024
Just made our first calm down bottle… This looks so fun! May need to try one of these next.
Calm down bottles are soooo amazing, There’s Just One Mommy! Discovery bottles can be super addicting, in the best way possible of course :). It’s a pleasure to have you visit!
I love the colors in this bottle. I’ve never done these jars before, how come you need to add water? Does it help the objects inside float better?
Isn’t it so vibrant and fun, Amy! The water definitely helps them float at a quicker rate. You could always try one without any water and see which you prefer. Thank you for visiting :).
How long do the bottles last? Could I use them in my classroom for more than one year?
As long as you make sure to clean the letter beads (or use brand new ones), you can use them for a long time. Otherwise they could grow things if they are not clean, if you know what I mean!
I’ve had several discovery bottles around for years, including this one. You may want to change the actual bottles out after time because they will get bent from being dropped or have fingerprint oil that takes away the sheen that they had in the past. That’s easy to do too though.
I hope you enjoy making one :).
I love this idea and plan on making them with my kindergarteners when school begins. I’m going to add it to my activities to go along with Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and have the students put the letters of their names in their own individual bottles. Question….you wrote that it takes mostly corn syrup. Corn syrup can be very expensive. I have 18 students, therefore it would cost me over $100 on syrup…yikes! Do you have a special place to buy the syrup at a cheap price or any other ideas to cut down on the cost?
Hi Renee! I love that idea! You absolutely can buy corn syrup in bulk. We have a giant container from Winco. I would also suggest using smaller bottles and try making one with half corn syrup and half water to see how it turns out. Sensory bottles can be made differently, and if I was making a bunch, I would certainly improvise myself :).
What a great idea! Would I need to modify this to use for a two year old?
It should work great for a two-year-old! Enjoy 🙂
I have some foam alphabet letters that I was going to use. Do you think the weight of foam will not be enough to allow for the letters to move around enough in the bottle?
Oh, how fun! I wish I knew. You’ll have to let me know if you try it!
I used them with a probably around 65/35 corn syrup to water ratio. I wanted the foam letters to move, but not too fast. They are brightly colored green, yellow, red, and blue letters so I used no coloring in the mixture. It seemed to work out ok. I thought so, at least. It was a gift to my twin 3 y/o’s preschool teachers, along with another sensory oil/syrup mixture sensory bottle, to add to their “calming corner.” I think that with mostly corn syrup, in addition to slowing the movement, it should help the letters to hold up over time. We shall see…