If you've recently had a baby, you may have heard of the benefits of sensory play. You may have even taken your baby to specific classes that focus on sensory play.

Sensory play is a type of play that stimulates and activates a child's senses, focusing on touch, hearing and vision. These senses are how a baby learns about and experiences the world.

Sensory Bottles, also known as calm down jars or discovery bottles, are containers that are filled with various materials to stimulate a child's senses. Young and old children alike are mesmerised by sensory bottles, and they create many opportunities for learning and play. 

You can make your own sensory bottles but we also stock a range of sensory bottles by Spanish brand, Petit Boum. They have a number of ranges, focusing on different senses, including Float Bottles (Vision), Sound Bottles (Hearing), Spy Bottles (Vision & Hearing).

The benefits of these sensory bottles are vast:

• Stimulates the senses - Sight, touch and hearing. We are born with an immature sensory and cognitive system which has huge potential.
• Sight - The combination of elements and objects has been designed so that children can track them with their eyes as they move.
• Hearing - Shaking and rolling the bottles generates sounds that please and stimulate hearing. Different to rattles and other toys, sensory bottles allow the child to identify and match those sounds with the different pieces found in them.
• Touch and psychomotor skills - The weight, shape and size of the sensory bottle are designed for children to manipulate, shake and roll, developing their hand-eye coordination and brain lateralisation.
• Concentration and calm - Watching the glitter swirl and sparkle can provide relaxation and focus in moments of agitation and anxiety. Children with sensory processing and anxiety disorders may find them soothing.
• Supports development - Petit Boum sensory bottles support the different stages of child development, making them a toy that can be enjoyed for years. From the early moments of tracking objects with their eyes, through to colour recognition, language development and creative and abstract thought.

There are lots of tutorials available online for making your own DIY sensory bottles  for babies but if you'd prefer to buy one that is safety tested and CE marked you can shop the full range of sensory bottles here.