I call this a sensory jars activity for toddlers because I originally made it for George (who’s 18 months) and now Louis at 2 1/2.
But don’t limit it to your toddlers. Babies and even preschoolers will enjoy this as well. I just know that we are always on the lookout for activities to do with toddlers, and this is a perfect one that might keep them busy in wonderment for awhile.
It’s been so much fun redoing these activities that were a hit with the older boys and doing them again with the younger ones.
And what I love even more is how they do it differently!
Check out our wave bottle too!
It took me a long time to do this activity again, to remember to keep a peanut butter jar is apparently hard to do. I’ve been getting out of my upcycling habit, I need to get better about that and start a making box!
These sensory jars are super simple to make.
Fill a peanut butter jar (or other large plastic jar) half-way with water. Add food coloring of your choice.
Add some dish soap. Lots if you want lots of bubbles!
Add glitter in too if you’d like some sparkles.
Then put on the lid. I’ve never sealed it with glue, but you can if you’re worried about kids opening it up, or it leaking.
Louis had a great time shaking the bottle and watching it. But wasn’t as interested in watching the bubbles settle like George was.
And then Louis and I began a game of rolling the jar back and forth to each other. This was a winner!
Below is George playing with the Soapy Sensory Jars
I filled up some old peanut butter jars halfway with water. (Yay! More upcycling!)
Then just add a few drops of food coloring of your choice. We did a blue, red and green.
It just takes a squirt of dish soap to make them soapy, bubbly sensory jars!
Then I handed to George for the day to explore and play! Toddlers are fascinated with the bubbles and even more fascinated that they can make the bubbles by shaking! Have you seen our more free play bubble sensory activity for toddlers?
More bubbles and more bubbles just by shaking up the sensory jars!
George also did some spinning and stacking with the jars.
It doesn’t matter what they do, or how they do it, the jars just need to be moving, and we love to get our toddlers moving, because, well I like to burn off their energy every day!
More fun sensory activities for toddlers, check out these 6 sensory play ideas
If you’re worried about spills, you can glue the lid on with school glue, just be sure to let it dry before letting them play with it.
We also ended up adding glitter to the soapy sensory jars. If I were to make it just a glitter sensory jar, I would have filled the jars full with water and added the glitter. But we were after the soapy, bubble effect for these sensory jars.
George loved the glitter and watched it settle.
But most of all, George wanted to stack the jars, to make towers. They’re kind of like big blocks!
These would make great time-out (or clam down) jars as well.
All Henry wanted to do was to make the bubbles go away. So no one could touch them.
He waited and waited for them to disappear. That was quite the task for a very energetic boy!
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I love this idea and plan to try it! I’m a Speech-Language Pathologist and I work with toddlers in the home coaching parents on how to increase their child’s communication skills. I’m always looking for simple, interesting and fun activities my parents can make at home and use with their children.
can I do this with a class of 18 young tots. 3 teachers in the room. we can do this with 6 kids per teacher. sure they will love it..but outdoors to make it more fun.
Wow, your site has way too many ads and photos.
Great idea
Sometimes I do experiments with soap for my son .
It seems the guys who also like soap bubbles
I just know on the Internet . And very interesting. Want to teach the boy. I hope he is smart. Thanks.
I made these for my 2 yr old nephew & he loves them! Thank you for the idea :)
Awesome to hear Lisa!
You can also use corn syrup and put in different things such as buttons, shapes, the foil confetti, etc. I did this with empty water bottles for my kindergarten class to use for a cool down when they got feisty. They loved it!
The corn syrup can be thinned down some with water if it’s too thick.
Great idea Susan! We did something similar with our ‘wave bottles’ — https://handsonaswegrow.com/wave-bottle-sensory/
“Bonnet Obey” hi,ifrodings your sites named “Soapy Sensory Jars Activity for Toddlers – hands on : as we grow” like every week. Your writing style is awesome,keep it up!thx “Bonnet Obey”
My son really loved the foam soap he played for hours:-)
Oh! So good to hear Brandy! Glad he enjoyed it!
Thanks!! This is great! I didnt have any jars so used a empty cola bottle. My son loves rolling it about :)
I love that you included glitter, think I’m going to try that in their outdoor water play activity centre, just for variety!
I love these!! We are going to make them for our preschool class this week. Thanks for the inspiration and for sharing!!
Hey love this idea of glitter jars :) I tried it as I work in a nursery with children aged 2-3 years but when I did the glitter jars I put half water then the glitter and then food colour and look at them in the morning and they have gone cloudy do you know why this might be ??? Would I have to do them again because they looked so good before :)
Wow! Very cute and very easy. Just love it! I know my toddler would love it! And I just pinned it too :)
Your ideas are awesome!!! What fun you must have with your boys!!!!! Keep sending the wonderful play ideas. We all even adults need to play more!!!!
Oh thanks so much! You just made my day!
Great idea, my little one will love this but I will have to glue that id on.
I almost decided to. So, yes, I recommend it. Especially if they know to unscrew. Henry about took them off.
Love these simple ideas!! Add some oil and its fun to watch the two layers separate…
Watching the glitter settle down is very calming too:)
That would be a great addition!
Love it!
What a great activity and so simple as well. I’m pinning it onto the baby and toddler play ideas board on pinterest
Thanks Cerys!
What a great idea! Jewel would love this!