Summer is finally here and I can't wait to head to the beach! Since I love all things ocean related this time of year, I'm super excited to share an awesome book with my boys that is all about the mysteries that lie underneath the ocean surface. And we made a super cool glow in the dark ocean bottle to go with it!
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Secrets of the Seashore is part of the Shine A Light Book collection that we just love. Each page teaches about the wonderful things found inside the ocean... but also has a hidden surprise!
When you shine a flashlight under the page, you'll uncover a picture of what lies underneath. Secrets of the Seashore is one of our favorites, and my boys love to use their flashlights to find the hidden pictures. To go with the theme of light and the ocean, I decided to make them an ocean discovery bottle that glows in the dark! And it could not have been easier.
To make your glow in the dark ocean bottle, you will need:
- Empty plastic bottle with a wide opening. I used a Voss water bottle.
- Glow in the dark aquarium shells.
- Water
Remove the label from your bottle (Goo Gone is great for this). Place your shells inside. I filled mine about 1/4 of the way with shells - you want them to have room to move around.
Fill the bottle about 3/4 full with water. Close the cap tightly. If you think your kids may try to open it, consider using super glue to seal it shut.
That's it! First, I gave it to my boys to check out in the light.
They loved holding and turning it over and over to watch the shells float around in the water. We also tried to find all the different types of shells and count how many we could find of each color and shape.
Then for the real surprise - we turned out the lights and it glowed! They were just mesmerized.
This is a wonderful calm down activity for bedtime. It also makes a fun, no electricity needed nightlight! Just store the bottle in a well lighted area during the day (I keep ours on a windowsill) to charge the shells.
If you love Secrets of the Seashore as much as we do, be sure to check out all the Shine A Light Books - including the brand new title On the Construction Site!
Want more awesome glow in the dark bottles? Check these out!
Super Simple Glow in the Dark Water Bead Sensory Bottle | Preschool Inspirations
Cool Glow In the Dark Chalk Sensory Bottle | Sugar Aunts
Glow in the Dark Loom Band Sensory Bottle | Rhythms of Play
Easy Glow in the Dark Beads Sensory Bottle | Mom Inspired Life
Glow in the Dark ABC I-Spy Sensory Bottle | Where Imagination Grows
Glow Sticks Sensory Bottle | Teaching Mama