Homemade Toys : Petals in a Bottle

Homemade Toys : Petals in a Bottle

Here is a simple homemade toy that you can make with recyclable items from home or very cheaply from the $ store.

Here are the items needed to make them exactly as mine below:

2 plastic bottles (I used Vitamin Water bottles)

WD-40 & paper towel

package of fabric petals, leaves, or tissue paper ($1 at the $ store)

* Prep the bottle: Remove the label on the bottle(s) and fill the bottle with very hot water from the tap. Let is sit a minute or two and spray the sticky area with wd-40. Wipe the sticky/wd-40 area with a paper towel to remove the glue. The hot water should loosen the glue and the wd-40 helps remove it. Let the bottles air out/dry.

* Fill the bottle: Take your fabric petals, fabric leaves or torn tissue paper and stuff the bottle. I used the rose petals from the $ store because they had twice as many in the package compared to the leaves and I was making bottles for two. You can use torn tissue paper, but it does not wear as well and you will need to replace it more often.

* Enjoy! Children enjoy taking the lids off (rotation of the wrist/arm) and emptying/filling the bottles. If you are using a pop bottle the opening will be smaller and requires more fine motor control. Mine like to take all of them out of the jar/bottle and line them up. If your little guy or girl is smaller than mine (2 & 3 1/2) you can even use a peanut butter jar. Emma & Ethan play with these often and for extended periods of time.