Here’s a fun pumpkin craft and DIY calm-down toy that doubles as a cute, friendly, or spooky glowing DIY Halloween decoration idea!
With this easy Halloween sensory bottle DIY, you can learn how to make a pumpkin sensory bottle with a friendly or spooky Jack o’Lantern face! Alternatively, you can make this glow-in-the-dark ghost DIY Halloween sensory bottle. Once finished, these Halloween-themed calm-down jars can be used as glowing luminary decorations for parties or as a sensory toy to calm an anxious child on Halloween night.
My daughter has had an obsession with pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, and skeletons since the day she first saw them as a baby. I remember her chirping happily and pointing from her stroller on our daily walks, the first time she spotted one. Unfortunately, she cried miserably once Halloween had passed, and they disappeared from front porches and stoops.
She was even more disappointed when her mummy could not make them magically reappear. So, I made her a pumpkin toy she could play with all year! Create this DIY Halloween pumpkin sensory bottle so toddlers and preschoolers can enjoy pumpkin sensory play with their Jack o’Lantern Halloween calm-down jar. First published on August 15, 2016, this post is regularly updated to enhance its content and ensure it remains current. You might also enjoy creating a Halloween pumpkin salt painting.
Glowing Jack o’ Lantern Halloween Sensory Bottle
Children are sure to love this pumpkin sensory play idea. Friendly, calming bottles, such as glowing Jack o’Lantern Halloween sensory bottles, are ideal for children who tend to get easily scared, overwhelmed, or anxious on Halloween night. For more information about calm-down sensory bottles or jars and their uses, check out Calm Down Sensory Bottles 101.
As mentioned above, this homemade pumpkin sensory jar can also be made into glowing DIY Halloween decorations. Unfortunately, orange glow-in-the-dark loom bands, if available, do not glow brightly or last long without an external light source. However, they can be ‘charged’ by placing them in the sun or under a light. To make this Halloween pumpkin glow a little brighter, pop an orange glow stick into the luminary on Halloween night.
Alternatively, you can use these instructions to create a sensory bottle with orange glitter and then return to this post to transform it into a Halloween pumpkin. Or use white glow-in-the-dark loom bands to make a Halloween ghost sensory bottle that glows brighter than the orange loom bands. You might also enjoy this list of Halloween art projects kids love!
Halloween Pumpkin Sensory Bottle Craft Materials
- Recycled water bottle or mason jar
(Most bottles from the recycle bin can work!) - Goo Gone
- Glow in the dark orange loom bands or orange loom bands
- Water
- Choose from the following materials to create a face on the ghost sensory bottle:
- Permanent marker
- Black construction paper, scissors, and glue
- Scissors and black duct tape or electrical tape
- Permanent marker
- Super glue
or hot glue - Orange glow stick (optional)
- Blacklight flashlight (optional)
or 
Related: Pumpkin Patch Feild Trip Ideas
How to Make a Glow-in-the-Dark Halloween Sensory Bottle Step-By-Step Instructions:
Use the step-by-step instructions to create a Halloween-themed sensory bottle that resembles a glowing Jack-o’-Lantern:
1. Clean and remove the label on the bottle (if needed):
- If needed, peel off the sticker on the bottle and use Goo Gone to remove any remaining sticky residue.
to remove any remaining sticky residue.2. Add orange glow-in-the-dark loom bands to the pumpkin sensory bottle DIY:
- Drop orange glow-in-the-dark loom bands into the bottle.
- You can also use THESE step-by-step instructions to make a sensory bottle with orange glitter instead. Then, return to this post to complete step 5.
- Initially, I added only about half of the orange Loom Bands from the package to the pumpkin sensory bottle. However, after experimenting with our friendly Jack-o’-Lantern sensory bottle for a bit, we discovered that this loom band bottle works best with lots of orange looms, so we used all of them to create our glowing Halloween sensory bottle.
3. Add water to the DIY Halloween sensory bottle:
- Next, add water to your glow-in-the-dark jack-o’-lantern Halloween sensory bottle, but don’t fill it up yet.
- Make sure you like the number of Loom Bands you have in it. Need more? Add more!
- Once you are happy with the number of loom bands, top the pumpkin sensory bottle off with water.
- The idea is to fill the pumpkin calm-down jar up so that no air remains at the top.
4. Place the lid on the Halloween pumpkin calm-down jar:
- Place the lid on the Halloween pumpkin sensory bottle and leave it unglued, so you can add or remove loom bands or a glow stick as needed.
5. Add a Jack O’Lantern face to the DIY Halloween pumpkin sensory bottle:
- Choose one of the following options to create a face for the Jack o’Lantern sensory bottle:
- Use a black permanent ink marker to draw a face onto the DIY Halloween pumpkin sensory bottle.
- Use scissors to cut pieces of black construction paper into a half-moon or triangular shape for the ghost’s eyes and a smiling mouth shape with a few teeth cut out. Then glue these paper pieces onto the sensory bottle.
- Cut pieces of black duct tape (or electrical tape) with scissors to create the eyes and mouth for the pumpkin. Then, stick these tape pieces onto the bottle where you want the Jack-o’-lantern face to sit.
- I made a friendly pumpkin face for the Halloween sensory bottle in the photos, but a scary face would be just as fun.
- With that said, I would not recommend creating a pumpkin sensory bottle with a frightening face or giving one to a young child.
- Halloween pumpkin jars with scary faces would not be good sensory bottles or self-regulation tools for an anxious child on Halloween night.
- A DIY Halloween calm-down jar like this also makes a fun Halloween lantern DIY idea with an orange glow stick placed inside!
6 Glue the Lid on the DIY Halloween Sensory Bottle (optional):
- Alternatively, you can wrap duct tape around it to seal it shut, or use both glue and duct tape.
- Don’t glue it shut if you want to insert an orange glow stick in it on Halloween night.
- Removing and replacing a glow stick is only possible when the lid is not glued on.
- If the sensory bottle is for children under three, I recommend gluing the lid or sealing it shut with duct tape to prevent accidents.
Related: Healthy Treats and Fun Alternatives for Halloween
Jack o Lantern Calm Down Jar Tips
Play with your glow-in-the-dark loom band sensory bottle for a few days before you glue the lid on. You may want to add or remove some loom bands.
Don’t glue it shut if you know you will eventually use an orange glow stick in it. Removing and replacing a glow stick as desired is possible when the lid is not glued on.
Please visit DIY Calm Down Sensory Bottles 101 for everything you need to know about calm-down jars and their uses.
Related: Rainstick Musical Sensory Bottle
Related: Gorgeous Glowing Halloween Lanterns
Glowing Jack o’Lantern Halloween Sensory Bottle DIY
A Halloween sensory bottle with a friendly face is a fantastic calm-down tool for an overwhelmed child on Halloween night.
Jack-o’-Lantern sensory bottles also make excellent DIY Halloween decorations! Be sure to look at this Glowing Ghost discovery bottle tutorial. It also makes a fun Halloween luminary.
Read Calm Down Sensory Bottles 101 to learn more about sensory bottles, their uses, how to make them, and troubleshooting tips.
You may also like this collection of Halloween Art Projects that Kids LOVE!
For another fun sensory toy that helps children improve focus and is fun for all ages, check out this excellent ringer game tutorial.
Learn more about Nell Regan Kartychok, author, photographer, and creator of this original Halloween pumpkin craft HERE, and Rhythms of Play HERE!
Leave a Comment