This DIY insulated water bottle cover is a quick, easy and fun project for kids of any age!

I was able to get some silver-backed bubble wrap from the Scrapstore, which will be useful for many things, I’m sure!  We were given the bottles last year during Love Parks Week, for which we attended almost every event they hosted.  We have some great memories!  There weren’t as many events this year, but we have been able to attend where it was possible.

During these events, and even while just out walking along the Blackhead Path it’s a good idea to take some water along for the kids (and parents) to drink.  The problem is that during the summer, drinks tend to get a little warm and not so refreshing.  We have the perfect solution to this – make your own insulated water bottle cover!

We measured the height of our bottles, and then drew a line on the reverse side of the foil bubble wrap.  Tristan cut the bubble-wrap along this line, and far enough down to fit around his water bottle.

Tristan used double-sided tape to hold it in place against the bottle so that it doesn’t slip.  He used a piece of clear packing tape to smooth out the seam on the outside of the sleeve.

We discussed how the shiny silver would reflect heat away, and how the air in the bubbles acted like an insulator/warm fluffy winter coat to keep the warm air out and the cool in the water.

The fun of making his bottle personalized began!  Tristan added all sorts of stickers to his insulated water bottle cover.  I may have said this before….but if you want any stickers left for future use do not leave the room!  Oh well, he had fun, and his insulated bottle looks great!  Kallista will decorate hers soon while Tristan is busy with another activity; she was too busy tuning her fine-motor skills and pouring water back and forth between her cup and her bottle.

We took Tristan’s insulated water bottle out with us on a medicine walk (led by a qualified herbalist, and part of the Whitehead festival events).  We also had one with us without a cover on it.  I used water from the jug in our fridge to fill them both before we went.  As we walked along looking for plants with medicinal qualities, we occasionally checked the temperature of both bottles (not too scientific here this time; we just used our hands to feel if there was a temperature difference between the bottles).  As the day progressed, we could notice a change!  It worked!

Every Olympian should have their own personalised water bottle!

If you don’t have a water bottle, an insulated cover could be made for your preferred bottled water and re-used for each bottle.  If you can’t get your hands on some silver-backed bubble wrap you could use a foil bubble-wrap envelope or even bubble-wrap covered in tin foil would have the same effect.

If you’d like to see more pre-school science activities, click over to our Sink or Float with Lemons and Limes, our solar oven, and the Classroom Garden.