Sometimes it’s the simple activities that are the most mesmerizing. I whipped up these Magnetic Field Sensory Bottles in just a few minutes, but the whole family can’t stop playing with them. And the science behind them is pretty cool too. Magnetic ink floating in water allows you to see the elusive magnetic field of a magnet.
SAFETY NOTE: Magnets are extremely hazardous if swallowed. Please keep them and the magnetic ink away from children who still put non-food items in their mouth. Please use your own experience to decide whether the completed wand and bottle are safe for your child and consult your pediatrician if you aren’t sure.
Magnetic Sensory Bottle Supplies Needed
This project uses a special kind of ink called MICR. You can also use iron filings but will want to skip the water in the bottle because they will rust.
For the Bottle:
- MICR magnetic ink printer refill
- Travel size mouthwash bottle or other clear plastic bottle with child-proof cap (check the drugstore travel aisle)
- Water
For the Wand:
You can buy a regular magnet wand for young kids like these, but for older kids and adults, strong magnets make a big impression. Safety first, always, please.
- 1/2″ Neodymium Magnets (at least one, but the more you have the better)
- Large straw (bubble tea style)
- Colored duct tape
Mesmerizing Science Fun… Watch the video!
This bottle is hypnotizing. You will not be able to put it down. It’s as if your hands are now magnetized too and must procrastinate all work and housekeeping in order to see how the magical ink shards move around. We had to make three of these so that all of us had one to play with in the house!
You can watch it in action!
Make the Magnetic Field Bottle
Magnetic ink? Yup. It’s the ink used for bank checks so that they can be read by machines. You know the crazy numbers and symbols at the bottom of a check? Those are printed in magnetic ink, most of which contain iron oxide. The process is called MICR for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition.
- Empty the mouth wash out of the bottle and rinse well. Remove the labels. WD-40 is my magic label gunk remover, by the way.
- Next add your ink. If yours came in a squeeze bottle, give it 2-3 squeezes. If it didn’t add about a teaspoon of ink. The stuff is really mess and weirdly sticks to surfaces, so be sure to cover anything you don’t want black.
- Fill the bottle all the way with water and seal well. If you’re worried about your kiddo opening it, you can seal it with a hot glue gun or some duct tape.
- Shake shake shake the bottle well. In the beginning, the ink particles will stick together and look clumpy. The more you shake it or the more you use it, the finer they become.
Make the DIY Magnet Wand
For this project you can use one of those store bought magnet wands {affiliate}, but honestly it’s a lot more fun to use neodymium magnets. To make them safe for younger kids, you want to securely wrap them into a DIY magnetic wand.
- Figure out how many magnets you want to put in your wand. Ideally use at least 4, but even one makes the bottle fun.
- Take your straw and make a small slit in the end just long enough to fit your stack of magnets into the end.
- Wrap straw in tape, making sure to cover the end. I used masking tape, but honestly, the magnets can rip through it, they’re so strong, so I recommend using duct tape.
Now Play!!
When you try the bottle watch the flow of the magnetic ink. I’m serious, it’s the most zen thing you can add to your day and your kiddo’s day.
More Magnetic Fun for Kids
Magnet Painting is the ultimate STEAM project!!
Add this mesmerizing magnetic bottle to a Mess-Free Magnet Learning Center!
Check out our M is for Magnets ebook from the Preschool Play Lab series, too! It outlines all of your preschool centers (not just science!) for a fun, magnet-filled week.
Summer Learning Made Fun
This post is kicking off a 5 week series with some of my favorite bloggers who all love STEAM. Because learning with Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math gives kids the power to do almost anything they can dream up. And these projects show that you don’t have to give up summer fun for a little bit of learning. This week’s topic is all about things you can See.
How to Make a Simple Kaleidoscope for Kids || Little Bins for Little Hands
How to Make a Magnifying Glass for Outdoor Exploration || One Time Through
Number Chart Art || Pink Stripey Socks
Print and Color Tessellation Puzzles || Frugal Fun For Boys
Make a Thaumatrope || What Do We Do All Day
Make Your Summer Epic with Camp STEAM
Summer is almost here! Are you ready? Do you have a plan?
We’ve created a plan for epic summer fun with the family. Let us help you create an at-home summer camp filled with fun projects the kids will love. And what if we told you that you could make it educational, too…
Fun, hands-on projects for kids.
Kids will love projects like paper helicopters, ice cream lab, electric crowns, lemon volcanoes and more! Included in the Camp STEAM Activity Planner are;
- 15 cool STEAM projects
- 5 STEAM stations for independent creativity
- 5 fun snack ideas
- 5 games
- Bonus activities
Each project comes with an easy to understand What’s the STEAM? lesson, perfect for preventing summer brain drain.
Plus! The tips and tricks you need to make camp a success.
We’ve included a Camp Success Guide which gives tips and tricks for setup, cleanup, managing children of different ages and abilities, and more.
