I have read lots of blog posts and website posts about using water beads in sensory play, but it always seemed a little complicated and fussy (essentially, I am extremely lazy), and so I hadn't gotten round to buying any. Just before going back to work, I decided to buy a few things for play activities during the time I will be at home with Isabelle, and finally decided to get some water beads. I'm so glad I did as it's not complicated at all!Water beads are actually meant to be used in vases of flowers, as a decoration. They are little beads, which come in packets and looks like tiny seeds. You soak them in water for a few hours and they expand into amazing little balls of a weird consistency. The best way I can describe them is like a hard jelly. They are shiny, feel damp, are slippery, a little slimy, squishable, clear (once they are water filled) bouncy and generally pretty fun. They are almost like squishy marbles.
I decided to use 3 packs of the 7 I bought, but after soaking them for an hour, decided I would add the rest in too, and I'm glad I did as it gave us the perfect amount to fill our tray and play with. I soaked all 7 packs in 1 liter of water for around 6 hours. I then decided to drain the excess water off, but you could leave them floating in water for a different take on the activity.
As with all our first attempts with an activity, I kept it very simple. The water beads were in our tray (which yes, is a cat litter tray. Never used!), and I gave Isabelle some things to scoop with, some bits to pour the beads through and into, and a tin which she really likes.
I had assumed she would be hesitant about their texture, as it is a little strange, and she usually goes slowly with new textures (like our moon sand). I was totally wrong though, and she got stuck straight in with both hands. She enjoyed lifting the beads up, feeling them, 'splashing' her hands in them, scooping them on the spoons, and making them jump around by shaking her hands in the tray.
Most of all, she enjoyed moving the beads from one container to another, and she did that for 45 minutes. She would use her hands or one of her scoops, and filled up another scoop, her tin, and some mouse shaped chocolate moulds. As the beads are tricky to pick up (even Simon commented on that when he arrived home), Isabelle had to really concentrate to pick them up and move them about. As they are so slippery, it was great practice for her pincer grip, and dropping them onto her spoons, into her scoops and down the tubes was a great work out for her fine motor skills.
After dinner, we played with them some more, and I encouraged her to step into the tray in her bare feet for a different way to experience the beads, and she seemed to really enjoy that too, swooshing her feet about, before sitting down on top of them all!
It goes without saying that, although these beads are non-toxic, this is an activity which should be watched very closely, especially with younger toddlers. The beads are so brightly coloured and inviting, and the perfect size for popping into a mouth.
I am so pleased that this activity was simple to set up, and so much fun to do. Isabelle played with the beads for well over an hour and a half, and it was great to see her working with such a different feeling material. The beads haven't dried out yet, but apparently they are totally reusable, so I am interested to see how well they will dry and rehydrate next time round. The next thing I want to do is add them into mounds of shaving foam.........stay tuned for that!
