The challenge:
Keeping my 4 wee ones entertained, happy, engaged, learning, loving and excited about being home since we can't, nor do I want to, leave the house every day or go spend lots of money for their entertainment.
I am constantly having to come up with fun things to do. Things that occupy significant amounts of time, things that challenge their thinking, encourage their learning, engage their sense and keep them happy!
When the weather is nice it seems like being outdoors takes much of the challenge away. Just being outside is enough to occupy my children for hours.
So because of these desires I have found myself racking my brain and searching the internet for fun inexpensive ideas to do with my kids. We have filled opaque balloons with different objects, bells, marbles, rice, flour, water, beads, danced around with them and guessed what was hiding inside based on the sounds, we have delighted in our CLOUD DOUGH which we play with all the time, we have played "hide the timer" forcing them to use their ears to find the timer (I just pulled a timer from a board game), we have gotten creative with our coloring and painting, and the other day we experienced
WATER BEADS!
They were so soothing, very fun, good for working on colors and entertaining.This is how they start out. Very tiny.
Exploring the small little beads in the water. 
You let these little beads soak for about six hours in order for them to get to their full size.
And Voila...
Beautifully soothing, entertaining, fun for everyone. We filled cups, we filled bowls, we sorted colors, we buried animals, we had such a fun hour playing with our water beads. We have played with them a few other times this week and then I dumped them out today. They are not nearly as cool or entertaining as cloud dough but a very fun activity to try. I might have to get creative and come up with some other ways to use them. Any suggestions?
They have been a fun experience and yet another fun indoor activity. 
I love seeing my kids faces as they experience and learn new things. I delight in my children and they delighted in water beads!
3 comments:
Do you make them or get them somewhere? I'm starting to stock pile ideas for next winter!!!!!
Meg I love water beads!!! We used "water ice" for our wedding and let me tell you a little trick. You never have to throw them away!!! I've had the same "ice" from my wedding for over a year and a half. You can keep your water beads forever by adding water to them as they dry up. Like your cloud dough put them in a air tight container and as you notice them getting a bit smaller or dryer just pour in a little water. Fun right!
There a myriad of ways you can use water beads to create all sorts of events centerpieces, and even centerpieces that you use in your own house. It only depends on how creative you are and how you use your Crystal water beads.
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