I-Spy Bottle

We have a great way to keep the little ones occupied with a super simple DIY toy.

One of our favorite “passing the time” games to play is “I Spy With My Little Eye” and off we go on a hunt for clues. Kids are naturally curious; they ask all kinds of questions and love to discover new things. Tap into these natural instincts with a super fun craft that is both entertaining and good for little minds. Our DIY I-Spy bottle is a one way to spark a little imagination (and detective work) into an ordinary activity. (Psssst: it is also a way to keep the kiddos occupied on a long car ride and for when you just need a couple minutes to get something done…or just a moment of quiet).

Kids learn by doing, and one way to make this an activity that inspires learning is to have a search list, making the I-Spy bottle more like a small-scale scavenger hunt. You might arrange the craft beads into themes, like “Underwater Adventure” or “Sports Fun”. With a list of things to search for, kids will apply their natural curiosity and inquisitiveness into this fun activity. Supplies are super simple, the only “special order” being a bag of craft charms, but these can be tucked away for use with other creative needs.

Getting rice and charms into the bottle can be tricky. You’ll need a wide-mouth water bottle so that various sized charms are able to fit. Mix up the rice and charms first or put them in by layers – a layer of rice followed by a layer of charms. Once the bottle is filled, shake it to mix again and you’re done! An empty water bottle in the recycling bin has now become a fun toy! We asked our panel of experts (*wink*) to give this a try, and after rigorous quality control testing, they determined our I-Spy bottle to be a success!

DIY I-Spy Bottles

Supplies

  • Glass or plastic wide-mouth water bottle
  • Rice
  • Plastic charms
  • Funnel

Directions

  1. Mix rice and charms, enough rice so charms are somewhat hidden and to fill bottle to the top, leaving some space for shaking room.
  2. Optional: Create search list for hidden items.
  3. Twist on cap and turn to find charms!