Frozen Water Beads- Fun Sensory Play

Today's guest post comes from Allison of Train Up a Child.  I love her site, and all of the fun ideas she shares.  Allison loves sensory play and glowing activities just like Growing A Jeweled Rose.  Today, she shares a fun playtime with water beads!

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All four of my boys love ice and water play, and they also love water beads.  (Water beads are amazing for sensory play and can be found at Walmart, Michaels, or online here.  They are most commonly used to keep plants hydrated)  In the midst of this heat I decided to combine the two, and I froze a large bin of water beads.  The water beads were already fully hydrated when I stuck the bin in the freezer.  I left them to solidify overnight before bringing out to play.

My twin twelve month olds are no strangers to water beads, but this is the perfect alternative for those who aren't comfortable with babies or toddlers and water beads since they can't grab a handful to bring to their mouths.

When the water beads were completely defrosted (almost a day later) it became a completely new sensory experience. 

While some beads remained whole, many were squished and gooey.

I kept the babies away from the gooey mixture since water beads should not be ingested.  My older two boys, ages 3 and 5, had a ball sticking their hands in and squishing.

They let the goo ooze out of their fists again and again, and it never seemed to get old.

When my boys were done with the bin I stuck the whole thing back in the freezer to enjoy again another day.  We love to play with water beads, and this was a great way to stay cool while enjoying the fun!  We love water beads and play with them on a regular basis.  We have many ideas to share, so be sure and stop by.

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 Allison is a homeschooling mama of four boys ages 5, 3, and twin 12 month olds.  Her education is in early childhood development.  Before becoming a mother she was a nanny for ten years.  She believes children learn best through hands on experiences and loves watching her boys explore the world around them.

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