My third seasonal sensory bottle is for autumn. It was super easy to decide what I would put inside… leaves! I just love the beauty of the changing leaves in autumn. I love seeing them fall from the trees with a gentle breeze, watching them swirl and float.
While I could put real leaves inside a sensory bottle, I chose not to because I knew they would not last. I wanted to find some at the craft store instead. I really liked some leaf-shaped sequins that I found, but they had holes in them. I didn’t really see anything else I liked, so I decided to check online. Amazon had just what I was looking for. It’s actually autumn leaf foil confetti, but it’s really nice. There are 3D maple leaves in red and gold as well as a plain-type leaf shape in orange and green.
I wanted the leaves to swirl and suspend briefly, and ended up using a mixture of corn syrup and water to get the effect I wanted. To add a tiny amount of sparkle to the bottle, I put in a dash of gold glitter and a dash of orange glitter.
The Swirling Autumn Leaves Sensory Bottle really reminds me of a beautiful autumn day. After shaking the bottle, the leaves swirl for about 5 seconds and take 15-30 seconds to fall to the bottom. The glitter suspends for about 15 minutes.
If you are interested in creating a Swirling Autumn Leaves Sensory Bottle, here is what I used:
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- 16.9 oz Core Hydration water bottle – Target
- 8 oz water
- Autumn Leaf Confetti – Amazon
- ⅛ tsp orange glitter– Amazon
- ⅛ tsp gold glitter – Amazon
- Fill the remainder of the bottle with corn syrup (about 9 oz) – Amazon
- super glue (for gluing the lid shut) – Amazon
If you prefer VOSS water bottles, the amounts would be slightly different:
The links in this post contain affiliate links and I will receive a small commission from qualifying purchases (at no extra cost to you).
- 11 oz VOSS Water Bottle – Target
- 5 oz water
- Autumn Leaf Confetti – Amazon
- ⅛ tsp orange glitter– Amazon
- ⅛ tsp gold glitter – Amazon
- Fill the remainder of the bottle with corn syrup (about 6 oz) – Amazon
- super glue (for gluing the lid shut) – Amazon
Thank you for checking out my Swirling Autumn Leaves Sensory Bottle!
“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”
Galatians 6:9
~ Sarah ~
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I tried this and flowed the instructions exactly but the glitter clumped and the leaves go up instead of down. What did I do wrong?
Hi Jeannie,
Corn syrup can be so finicky! The same things have happened to me before. My first suggestion is to be sure that the bottle is FULL. If there is too much air inside, air bubbles will form on the confetti when you shake the bottle, causing it to float to the top instead of sink to the bottom. Second, try adding a small squirt of dish soap. Sometimes this will get the glitter to stop clumping. If that doesn’t work, unfortunately, I usually end up starting over. If you do start over, try using warm water, then add the glitter and confetti, fill ALL the way with corn syrup, and shake vigorously! The clumping of the glitter can sometimes be related to the corn syrup not mixing all the way with the water. Warm water will help, as will some good shaking (maybe 30-60 seconds). I hope this helps!
-Sarah
aaahhhh……all good suggestions that Ill be trying! These are still absolutely beautiful and my girls are LOVING them and my husband wants one for his desk hahaha! Thank you for being the chemist for us!
I’m so glad you and your family are enjoying them! Thanks for reading! 🙂
Love this! I just made mine and its perfect! Except my leaves settle at the top. No big deal but I wonder why it’s different? Thanks for sharing!
Hi Rachel! You may need to top off the bottle with corn syrup. If there is too much air inside, air bubbles will form on the leaves when you shake it and make them float instead of sink. I’m glad you like it!
For how long this sensory bottle last? For how many days?
I made this one four months ago and it still looks the same!
Sarah
Hello! I love the sensory bottles you make. I’m collecting material to make them but I can’t find Corn Syrup … Could I replace it with another liquid? I’m from Spain and here it’s complicated
Hi Ana!
You could use clear glue instead of corn syrup. I would try filling a bottle about 2/3 with water and 1/3 with glue.
– Sarah 🙂
These are really nice. I would like to do this as a school activity. Can you suggest an alternative to corn syrup? The country I am in doesn’t readily have corn syrup.
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Could you use clear glue instead of corn syrup?
Thank you,
Judy
Hi Judy,
Try using 2/3 water and 1/3 glue.
Sarah