Discovery Bottles

Elise has plenty of toys - soft blocks, chewing toys, noisy toys, tea sets, picnic sets - and yet she still loves everyday objects. She can play with an empty water bottle, a box, a straw or a spoon for a long while. I decided to use some empty bottles and everyday items of different textures and colors to create some discovery bottles for her to explore.

I used small Aqua Pod bottles and a few things that I found at the dollar store - beads, curling ribbon, gel beads, glitter, pasta and rice, and rubber balls. I filled the bottles up, added water to some to magnify the contents, and sealed them with hot glue.

The verdict? She loves them! And as a bonus, they are really helping her with her crawling (she started last weekend!), as the bottles roll and she crawls right after them.

P.S. These aren't just for babies, you could also use this tutorial to create an I Spy bottle, perfect for travelling and entertaining kiddos of all ages!