You can also find them in most floral sections in craft stores such as Michael’s. I have also even found them on occasion at the dollar store.
I have ordered them many times from Amazon and been happy with their quality. I like the packs with a variety of colors, but you can find them in a variety of separate colors.
It seems like here lately Orbeez are sweeping the nation. Why? A lot of children (and adults for that matter) struggle with sensory processing problems. For some it can affect their daily life. In my experience with children, kids either love water beads so much they can’t get enough of them.
Some children want to climb into the bin and submerge themselves in them, OR they hate the way they feel (some children describe them as “slimy”). Other kids don’t want to play with them at all, which is okay. You should never force a sensory activity on a child, especially if they emphatically tell you “no” or start to show signs of distress (crying, rapid breathing, what we might perceive as “overreacting” to avoid the activity, etc).
If a child is really into playing with the water beads, chances are they just like it, like the way they feel and are genuinely enjoying the activity. If your child wants to get in and submerge themselves and might seem a little “too enthusiastic”, they may be seeking out that sensory input and getting what they need. But for the child who may be avoiding that activity, let them sit and watch.
A lot of times they will eventually decide to joining their friends on their own or just might be apprehensive if they haven’t seen the activity before. If they still don’t want to play (this isn’t just with water beads, this is any sensory activity) try again later or another day. It may take several tries. Just because a child is apprehensive doesn’t mean they have problems with sensory processing. They may just be cautious.
Tips On Using Water Beads
After using water beads for several years now I do have a few tips, suggestions and observations about using/storing them.
- If you have never seen water beads before you add water to them, they look like teeny tiny little dark color beads. You have to add water to them before they look like what you are expecting.
- Different water beads have different directions as far as beads to water ratio and in my experience, I just wing it. A basic guide is 1 tsp of water beads and 3 cups of water make about 3 cups (maybe a little more) of water beads at their full size. If there’s water that hasn’t been absorbed after 12 hours, add more beads. If the water beads are not their full size and all the water has been absorbed, add another cup of water. After you have used them a time or two, you’ll be able to know without measuring.
3. Don’t completely cover your water beads when finished with them. This creates condensation in your container and the beads can mold/smell like mildew. I usually mostly cover mine and leave a little space. If they dry out a little when you use them next time, add a little more water.
4. If you let them sit for a couple of weeks, they will dry up completely and look like they did when you first got them. You can pitch them, reuse them in the sensory bin again, or use them to make sensory bottles if you are finished with them in the sensory bin.
I try to switch toys in my sensory bins and the water bead bin is no exception. I use funnels, scoops, strainers, artificial plants, little plastic/rubber ducks and other animals depending on what our lesson plan is about. Pretty much anything you use in the bathtub is a good choice using. I also add a little essential oils to many of my sensory bins (especially the water beads, I like to add grapefruit oil and lavender oil).
These make for an excellent sensory activity for children. Buy some Orbeez and a shallow bin and it makes a great birthday or holiday gift!
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