{"id":9388,"date":"2020-08-17T04:00:49","date_gmt":"2020-08-17T09:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/3dinosaurs.com\/wordpress\/?p=9388"},"modified":"2021-03-05T04:41:44","modified_gmt":"2021-03-05T09:41:44","slug":"water-beads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.3dinosaurs.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/water-beads\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Use Water Beads for Sensory Play?"},"content":{"rendered":"

We happen to love sensory bins. We use them all the time and I love to mix up how we use them.<\/p>\n

And water beads are one of our favorites! It is a great sensory play that is flexible and can be used in many different ways.<\/p>\n

Plus it is has been one of the most popular sensory bin types on 3 Dinosaurs. And can lead to hours of sensory play!<\/p>\n

\"Water
\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

Please make sure your child is old enough to use these and does not put items in their mouth. I would not suggest this for kids under 3. You know your own child best. This activity should be done under constant adult supervision.<\/i><\/p>\n

Water beads can be very flexible and come in loads of colors. They are easy to make and play in.<\/p>\n

We have enjoyed them in so many different ways. But nothing says you can’t just have a bin of just water beads. Plus you can change up the same bin by adding items into it. <\/p>\n

They are super easy to make and store. We have a water bead sensory bin around at all times. I’ve made ones that were just for birthday parties as well.<\/p>\n

Plus keep scrolling to get answers on some of the questions I get about water beads.<\/p>\n

What you need to make a water bead sensory bin<\/h2>\n
    \n
  • water beads rainbow<\/a>\"\"<\/li>\n
  • bin with good lid<\/li>\n
  • water<\/li>\n
  • cups<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    \"Water<\/div>\n

    How to make the water bead sensory bin<\/h2>\n

    You pour the beads into the bin. I like to have a deep one so we can add a lot of beads. We used half of the container on beads.<\/p>\n

    You can see the size of the beads before they grow.<\/p>\n

    \"Water<\/div>\n

    Next, you add water. After we add the water we mixed the beads up a little so they don’t stick to the bottom of the bin. You can use warm water to help them expand faster. <\/p>\n

    I like to put the lid on the bin and come back and check them every hour. It may take a few hours to expand all the way.<\/p>\n

    \"Water<\/div>\n

    Here is a look at the water beads in the bin. You can see how big they go and it filled up half of the container.<\/p>\n

    \"Water<\/div>\n

    Some common questions I get asked about water beads in sensory bins<\/h2>\n

    I always get loads of questions about using water beads and I thought I would answer a few.<\/p>\n

    How long can you keep water beads?<\/h3>\n

    We tend to keep ours for about three months. But we have done longer. In order to keep the water beads longer, you need to store them in a container with a good lid. <\/p>\n

    I also have them wash their hands before playing in the bin to help keep dirt and germs out.<\/p>\n

    How do you keep them beads from breaking?<\/h3>\n

    I have yet to keep the beads from breaking tons. But you can monitor them while they are playing. I like to tell them if they keep the beads for getting squished. They can break them all when we are done. And I do know that we do break some as we use the bin off and on.<\/p>\n

    How do you keep kids interested in the bin?<\/h3>\n

    I know that some kids love and bin and some don’t. But I find that adding other items like toobs or erasers to the bin helps kids play in them longer.<\/p>\n

    What type of water beads do you use?<\/h3>\n

    I have used the ones for plants<\/a>\"\" and ones they sell for kids’ toys<\/a>\"\". You need to make sure they are non-toxic for which ever you get. I have found that some for the plants that are colored the color tends to leak out of them. So be careful using them. I tend to stick clean with those and get the toy version for color now.<\/p>\n