Okay, confession time: I’ve been saving my empty roll-on deodorant bottles for months. You know when something just feels too useful to throw away? That was me, standing over the bathroom bin, thinking, “Surely these have a second life in them?” I didn’t know exactly what for—until I stumbled across this genius idea from The Empowered Educator.
Turns out, those little bottles are perfect for sensory play.
In her post, Recycling Deodorant Bottles for Fun, she shares a super simple but oh-so-smart way to reuse old roll-ons for creative art and water play. And let me tell you, I’m now patting myself on the back for not tossing mine out. They make the cutest little painting tools and are surprisingly perfect for small hands.
When I showed this to my youngest, they were instantly intrigued. We cleaned out a couple of bottles (hot tip: soak them and pop the roller out with a spoon) and filled them with a bit of watered-down paint. Within minutes, our patio looked like a rainbow crime scene—and I mean that in the best possible way. It was mess, magic, and motor skills all in one.
The best part? No fancy supplies, no trip to the shops. Just a fun, low-waste activity that makes use of something you’d normally chuck in the bin. So if you’ve got a few roll-ons sitting in the recycling, hold onto them. This one’s a keeper.
Check out the full how-to here:
Recycling Deodorant Bottles for Fun – The Empowered Educator
Have you tried something like this before? Or do you have a stash of “I’ll use that one day” containers like me? Let’s trade ideas!
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How to make recycled chalk paint
