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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Do You Use Water Beads?
DaycareMama 08:08 PM 02-24-2012
Just wondering who uses water beads and if you do where do you get them?

I guess also if you liked them how many do you need for each child to have like a dish pan full?

And..from what I have seen there are different qualities? Some that are reusable that you can dry out and use again? I want those
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Country Kids 08:09 PM 02-24-2012
what are water beads?
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DaycareMama 08:13 PM 02-24-2012
Oh there so cool looking ... let me find the thing i just read and i will link it..
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DaycareMama 08:15 PM 02-24-2012
http://waterbeads.net/

Scroll down to the video with the two older woman it shows you how they work and explains how they are reuseable.

I see them used (on pintrest) in sensory bins , floral agrangements and so on
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DaycareMama 08:17 PM 02-24-2012
Double post
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DaycareMama 08:18 PM 02-24-2012
For some reason I cant add the link. It is telling me that it has to be approved???
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SilverSabre25 09:19 PM 02-24-2012
Originally Posted by DaycareMama:
For some reason I cant add the link. It is telling me that it has to be approved???
Yeah that happens sometimes...I'm not sure why but one of the other mods might know
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melskids 03:39 AM 02-25-2012
We absolutely LOVE them!

I don't remember which site I Bought them from, I had just googled it.

I bought WAY to many , not realizing how much they expand!!! 6 teaspoons filled my whole water table!

They are supposed to be the ones that shrink back down, but after a while waiting for them to do so, they started to smell a little like mildew so I just chucked them.

I have plenty more, so I didn't mind. I bought too much, and can fill the table again 10 times!!!!

Here are some pics of us playing with them....

http://mountaintopdaycare.blogspot.c...ter-beads.html
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Heidi 05:19 AM 02-25-2012
I think there are two kinds of these. We bought Orbeez at Kmart, and they are designed for kids. The ones from the craft stores say things like "toxic" and "not a toy"....I didn't get those.

I got two boxes (3 packages each) of Orbeez, and that is a ton! They where $6.99 each, and Kmart is usually more expensive than WM or others.
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DaycareMama 05:46 AM 02-25-2012
Originally Posted by bbo:
I think there are two kinds of these. We bought Orbeez at Kmart, and they are designed for kids. The ones from the craft stores say things like "toxic" and "not a toy"....I didn't get those.

I got two boxes (3 packages each) of Orbeez, and that is a ton! They where $6.99 each, and Kmart is usually more expensive than WM or others.

Do the orbeez last just as long and also shrink back?
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SD DaycareMOM 07:49 AM 02-25-2012
I actually got some donated to me by a daycare parent. THey were already dyed and hydrated (had been used in centerpieces at an event). We played and played and played with those things...they were so cool! After a few months, they started getting too fragile, they would just mush apart when touched, but we definately got our use out of them. I also did dry quite a few out and have used those with the kids as well, and still have some left. I spread them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels.

The kids had a lot of fun mixing their own colors in ice cube trays (with liquid water colors) and dropped in a dehydrated bead or two into each compartment. THen the beads would hydrate and be the colors that they had created. We also did a really fun science "vanishing image" demonstration from Steve Spangler that you should be able to see here: http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/...-jelly-marbles When I am ready for more, I will probably order them from Steve Spangler's website, he calls them jelly marbles.

And, melskids - I think I am your newest fan - great post!!!
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Sunchimes 09:37 AM 02-25-2012
Are they large enough that they aren't a choking hazard? Mine are still putting everything in their mouth.
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countrymom 12:08 PM 02-25-2012
my ds got them as a birthday gift. He LOVES THEM and he's 9. Did you know that they bounce too. my only concern is that my littles will try and eat them, so if you have littles I don't recommend them. now I need to check our stores for them. I know ds would love a whole bin of them.
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Beach Baby 01:37 PM 02-25-2012
Melskids, that baby is SO CUTE! Those water beads look like lots of fun! We are going to have to give them a try!
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melskids 02:36 PM 02-25-2012
Thanks ladies.

I would definetely make sure the ones your buy are non toxic, and yes, they are probably a choking hazard.

I sit right next to them (the younger ones) when they play with them, to make sure they dont get put in their mouths.
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youretooloud 05:02 PM 02-25-2012
My favorite waterbeads were from Walgreens in the toy dept. They were perfect, and affordable.

I got some from the craft store, but if you get different colors, they eventually all turn brown.
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Countrygal 04:57 AM 02-26-2012
Originally Posted by Sunchimes:
Are they large enough that they aren't a choking hazard? Mine are still putting everything in their mouth.
No, they are quite small. Every one I've seen comes with the "not for children under 3" label.

I picked some up in the floral dept. of WalMart for $2 a bag. They are non-toxic as well, but also come with the do not eat caution and not for children under 3 caution. They look like fun. I'm working up a sensory area and this will be part of it, but packed away and used only under direct supervision. I also bought the submersible LED lights to go with them. Has anyone tried them?
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beachgrl 10:52 AM 02-27-2012
I got some because I saw Mels Kids post about them on her blog! I ordered multi colored ones off ebay pretty cheap and they havent turned brown yet..had them a while now. I also saw thr ones walmart has in the floral section for $2 and will get my next sets there most likely. Id like to do a fe diff tubs w a certain color ea in them.

The littles will try to put themin their mouths, you just have to be right there and supervise them well. I love to use mine when we are having one of those whiny/grumpy end of the day and make it a special activity that comes out to make that last bit of time before pick up less crazy and more fun some daysmwhen its well needed lol
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MyAngels 08:02 AM 02-28-2012
I picked up some of these over the weekend at Walmart for the kids. I put a few clear plastic cups, some clear spoons and about 20 or so glow sticks in with them for the kids. They've been playing with them for over an hour now and are having a great time.
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small_steps 09:39 AM 02-28-2012
I saw this post and had to have some. I to found some at walmart for $2 per pack. I bought the green and my plan is to use them in a sensory table during the month of March and make some golden coins with numbers on them, and have the children find the numbers and then put them in order or something like that. Kind of a modified idea I got from mailbox.
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DaycareMama 09:41 AM 02-28-2012
Im glad to hear walmart carries them. I will be picking some up tonight
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melskids 09:56 AM 02-28-2012
Originally Posted by MyAngels:
I picked up some of these over the weekend at Walmart for the kids. I put a few clear plastic cups, some clear spoons and about 20 or so glow sticks in with them for the kids. They've been playing with them for over an hour now and are having a great time.
Originally Posted by small_steps:
I saw this post and had to have some. I to found some at walmart for $2 per pack. I bought the green and my plan is to use them in a sensory table during the month of March and make some golden coins with numbers on them, and have the children find the numbers and then put them in order or something like that. Kind of a modified idea I got from mailbox.
They both sound like fun!

Here's our Dr. Suess inspired one for this week...I;ve been looking EVERYWHERE for plastic orange fish, but I can't find them!

002.jpg
Attached:
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small_steps 10:01 AM 02-28-2012
Originally Posted by melskids:
They both sound like fun!

Here's our Dr. Suess inspired one for this week...I;ve been looking EVERYWHERE for plastic orange fish, but I can't find them!

Attachment 857
Very cute! I will have to print that out and do it next year. To be honest I didn't plan much with Dr Seuss this week. I really just didn't think about it until I saw some of the other posts about him. Maybe its' not too late to get a few things in.
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Countrygal 10:30 AM 02-28-2012
Well, the kids got to "play" in the beads today! Yesterday we watched them "grow". They LOVED them!!! I had to force them away for lunch!

I definitely think it's a return project!
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Daycare Diva 05:15 AM 03-01-2012
How/ where do you store them when they are not in use? Do they mildew? Can they be played with outside in the sun? I would like some for my outside water table
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countrymom 05:58 AM 03-01-2012
I bought some at michaels, they cost 4 dollars a bag. but right now I have rice in the table, when the rice becomes boring then I will put them it.
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SD DaycareMOM 11:36 AM 03-01-2012
Originally Posted by Daycare Diva:
How/ where do you store them when they are not in use? Do they mildew? Can they be played with outside in the sun? I would like some for my outside water table
My "sensory tub" is an under-the-bed rubbermaid storage bin, so I store mine in there with the lid on when we are not using them. I had several tubs of them and the kind I had started to smell a little funny after a couple weeks undisturbed, but I thought that was pretty good. They store very well if you dehydrate them so they shrink back down. I think they would store forever that way. I have also used them outside and they worked just fine there.
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