Baby Toys Made From Recycled Plastic Bottles
Simple Activities for Infants, Caregivers, and Siblings
Toys for babies need not be complicated. Babies enjoy simple toys that help them develop their senses, learn language, and move with the help of a caring adult. With a little ingenuity, many common household items can be fun and educational toys for infants. The homemade plastic bottle toys described in this article are so easy to make –and the activities so easy to do – older siblings can help, too.
Suggested Infant Activity Supplies:
- empty, clean transparent plastic containers with a lids (Containers with wide mouths, such as, bulk nut and snack food containers or mayonnaise jars with labels removed, work best so there is no worry about baby swallowing the lid.)
- food coloring
- transparent packing tape
- water
- cooking oil
- glitter
- fun objects to place into the bottles
Learn Colors
Fill several containers 2/3 full of water. Drop a different color of food coloring into each container. Close the lids tightly. For extra security, wrap transparent packing tape around the lids. Place the bottles on a sunny windowsill so that baby can watch the sunlight filter through the different colors. Older babies can roll or shake the bottles to create bubbles.
Add a little something extra to the color by pouring some glitter into the containers. If the container is shaken or rolled, the glitter will gently fall to the bottom of the container, creating an effect similar to a snow globe. Alternatively, place a toy in the container along with the colored water. Baby can make the toy “swim” by moving the container.
Do a Science Experiment
Instead of completely filling the containers with water, fill them only half way with water. Then, fill the other half with cooking oil. Drop in food coloring as before. When baby shakes or rolls the container, the water and oil will temporarily mix. When she puts the container down, the oil will separate from the water, creating a two-toned effect.
Listen to Different Sounds
Fill each container with a different object that will make a noise when the container is shaken, such as, large jingle bells, rubber balls, wooden blocks, and large plastic beads. Be sure to also use objects like feathers or cotton balls that will not make noise. If baby is coordinated enough to open the lid of the container, be sure to use only items that do not pose a choking hazard.
When the containers are filled, encourage baby to shake them or roll them back and forth to the parent. Give baby language for the sounds that she is hearing. For example, say, “I don’t hear anything. Those cotton balls are silent.” Or “Jingle, jingle, I hear bells!” Older babies can even compare two different sounds.
These seemingly simplistic activities help infants develop their senses, learn language, strengthen motor skills, and experience beginning science concepts. Parents and caregivers interested in more homemade toys that can be made from recycled materials should read the article, "Baby Games to Play with a Silk Scarf."
Activities for Infants
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