Water beads might be my favorite sensory item. I love the texture and they are very satisfying to play with. Also they really don't get super messy, and they can last a few days so I get a lot of bang for my buck when I grow some and make an activity.
If you've never used water beads, they are these little beads that you put into water and they grow. They become a kind of squishy texture, and become translucent so they are very pretty. You can get them in different sizes as well as colors. I usually buy the rainbow but if you want to make an ocean for example, you can buy plain blue.
Here are three of my favorite ways to play with water beads:
Water Bead Pouring Station
I am all about independence, and a skill we have been practicing in our home in pouring our own water (or milk, syrup, etc.). I love water beads for pouring practice because it's a little easier to pour them than water and they don't get everywhere. Also it's just fun to change it up to pour something a little more fun. For this activity, all you need is a pitcher and some cups.
I've been using this mini pitcher for practicing because it is nice and small for my 2 year old's little hands. I used some little cups that I got at target. I put the whole "station" into a deep bin, just in case of spills it is super easy to clean up!
Water Beads Number Match
I want to start by saying, as a teacher and fellow mom: you really don't need to worry about teaching numbers until they are 3. If they are 2 and don't know their numbers, you do not need flashcards or anything like that. That being said, a lot of young toddlers are interested in numbers and counting. If that is your kid, follow their lead. My son has been into numbers for a while, so I wanted to do a little matching activity.
You can also do this with shapes, colors, or anything else your kid is into. I buried some little numbers from this puzzle I had, and then wrote the numbers on a piece of paper. My son then found the numbers in the beads, and put them onto the correct number on the paper. Super easy. What ever puzzles or small toys you have around the house can work for this easily as well. Or if they are not ready to match, they can just find the numbers and you can help them name it. If you have a preschooler or kindergartener, you can put letters or sight words in the water beads. Super versatile for what interests your child :).
Baby Activity! Water Bead Sensory Bag
Water beads are a choking hazard. But if your kids are like mine, baby wants to get into everything the toddler is doing. To make water beads baby safe, put a bunch into a ziplock bag. Make sure to tape the bag closed, and then you can tape the bag to the floor, the table, or a wall for some sitting practice. My daughter (9 months) loved squishing the beads and smacking the bag to see the colors move around. This also kept her out of her brothers hair for a while so he could work on his activity in peace. Sensory bags can definitely also be fun for toddlers, especially children with sensory or texture issues who want to explore water beads but might not be ready to touch them yet.
I hope these activities give you some fun ideas to use your water beads! Let me know in the comments - does your family love water beads? What is your favorite way to use them!
Have a great day
Kaitlin
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