Everything about your child’s day is different when they attend a Montessori daycare. Unlike traditional daycare settings, Montessori programs focus on nurturing your child’s curiosity and creativity through a variety of unique learning techniques.
As strong proponents of Montessori philosophy, the Montessori School of Flagstaff has adopted numerous strategies and traditions, including the creation of discovery bottles. Here’s what you need to know about these fun and entertaining learning tools.
What’s a Discovery Bottle for Daycare Children?
A discovery bottle, also known as a science bottle, gives your child a chance to make a fun keepsake. These easy-to-make tools can be filled with just about anything, including magnetic counters, paper clips, water, pipe cleaners, and more.
Discovery bottles are designed to help your child learn more about how the world works by introducing them to simple scientific concepts. For instance, you could put some pennies and magnetic counters in a bottle of water and let your child learn that denser objects sink while others may float.
4 Montessori Daycare Discovery Bottle Ideas
Are you in need of some inspiration for your daycare discovery bottle? Here are four great ideas you can try with your little one:
1. The Glitter Galaxy
Imagine a swirling galaxy in a bottle. For this project, you’ll need clear bottles, water, food coloring, glitter, and baby oil.
Mix the water with a few drops of food coloring and pour it into the bottle. Add a generous amount of glitter, and then top it off with baby oil. Seal the bottle and let your child shake it to watch a glittery galaxy come to life. This bottle is visually stimulating and a great way to teach children about colors and the concept of oil and water separation.
2. The Calming Ocean Wave
Create a soothing ocean wave in a bottle with this simple idea. You’ll need a clear bottle, water, blue food coloring, and cooking oil. Fill half the bottle with water mixed with blue food coloring and the other half with oil.
Seal the bottle tightly and let your child rock it back and forth. The wave effect is calming and can be a great tool for helping children relax or wind down. It’s also a fun way to introduce basic concepts like density and liquid layers.
3. The Magnetic Attraction
For a discovery bottle that encourages scientific exploration, try creating a magnetic environment in your container. You’ll need a clear bottle, magnetic objects (like paper clips, small metal balls, or magnetic letters), and a strong magnet.
Fill the bottle with the magnetic items and seal it. Provide a magnet to the children and let them use it outside the bottle to move the items inside.
4. The Enchanting Nature Explorer
Does your child love the outdoors? If so, they will love this bottle idea, too.
Collect little items like twigs, leaves, small stones, pine cones, or shells. Place them in a clear bottle and fill them with water, or keep the environment dry. This bottle encourages your child to explore the natural world. You can also use it to introduce them to the environment, seasons, and different types of plants and animals.
Want to Learn More About Montessori Daycare? Let’s Connect
Montessori daycare isn’t your average childcare center. At Montessori School of Flagstaff’s Sunnyside campus, we nurture and support your child’s innate curiosity from the age of 18 months old through preschool. If you’d like to learn more about our Montessori daycare, schedule a tour. We look forward to hosting you.