Orbeez water beads are a great toy for toddlers to explore their senses. The squishy fun and wacky colorful beads are bound to keep them entertained, but with these awesome kits, your toddler will be entertained for an extra long time!
Introduction
If you’ve ever had a toddler you’ll understand that they’re cute as all get out, but boy are they a lot of work. They have so much energy, but also can’t do most things on their own yet.
We all know that having fun toys for our toddlers is important in order to keep them occupied while we get things done around the house or go about our day, but traditional toys don’t always hold their interest for long periods of time.
Even the loud noise making ones.
Orbeez water beads are a perfect solution! Your toddler will be occupied for “hours” (let’s be real – minutes. But maybe more than several minutes!) by these colorful little balls that can grow into giant balls when exposed to water.
That means you’ll have time to make dinner or (*gasp*) go to the bathroom alone!
The best part? You can choose from different kits based on age and skill level, making this an ideal gift idea for any occasion or age range! Keep reading for some of our favorite kits that we have found so far!
What are Orbeez?
Orbeez are round, squishy balls that look like they’re filled with jello, but they’re actually safe for kids! They come in a bunch of bright colors and unlike goo or slime (which most kids also love), these little things won’t leave a yucky mess behind. PRAISE BE.
They even bounce like super balls! The reason they bounce so well is because the polymer used to make them is acrylic copolymer, which can also be found in products like contact lenses and hair extensions.
They look just like tiny beads until you add water! And then they grow bigger and turn all squishy and fun! Then when they dry out, they shrink back down to their original size, so you can use them over and over in different ways and in different containers!
What are Orbeez made of?
According to the Orbeez website, Orbeez are made of several molecules called acrylates. They absorb water and grow when the water is absorbed in the spaces between the molecules.
Here’s what the science says: “The process begins with an acrylic copolymer bead that has been specially designed to be super-absorbent by offering a tremendous amount of surface area within its mass. These beads are specially processed to ensure quality and consistency, and the beads will continue to absorb water for several days when unopened.”
How do Orbeez work?
In layman’s terms, the Orbeez absorb the water and expand, making them grow to about 10 times their original size!
Kids can use these Orbeez in tons of fun different ways! You can bounce them, crush them with your hands or a tool, roll them, squish them, squeeze them with tweezers, add them to water guns for a squirt gun fight or come up with your own way of playing! The possibilities truly are endless and kids are super creative if you let them explore (safely) on their own.
There are several kits available depending on the age of your child. For smaller children, there are kits that include large Orbeez, small Orbeez, or both.
For older kids (around 5-8 years old), there are kits with mini beads and large beads!
Are Orbeez toxic?
According to the Orbeez website, Orbeez are non-toxic and safe even if ingested. They do not break down or clump in the digestive tract and they are not absorbed into the body, which means they’ll just pass right on through with no issues.
Can you eat Orbeez?
Ummmm, I know they’re not toxic, but please don’t add these as a side dish or an appetizer at your next family get together. Just don’t.
How long does it take for Orbeez to grow?
This is going to depend on how large your Orbeez or water beads are. Typical time starts around at least 2 to 4 hours, but may take up to double that.
How long do Orbeez last?
The reason Orbeez or any water beads are so fun are because you can reuse them over and over if you’re smart. Just let them dry out in the sun or in a well-ventilated area. Then when they’re dry, add water again!
Also, a little tip to make them last even longer is to add a pinch of salt when you’re adding water to your Orbeez. I don’t know why this works, but it does. Science!
What are the best kits to keep my toddler entertained the longest?
Here is the fun part. We have gone through and found the most fun Orbeez water bead kids for toddlers that will give your little one endless amounts of fun.
As always with toddlers, they absolutely will need supervision. The water beads aren’t messy, but these wacky colorful water beads bounce. And roll. And they get EVERYWHERE.
I’m totally speaking from experience here.
54 Piece Water Bead Kit
This the one our 3 year old boy has and I can fully attest to the fact that he is occupied for a looooong time with these! He loves them and it is so much fun to play together. They’ve provided me tons of time to write posts for you fine people about stuff like this or some great climbing toys.
I love the fact that you get such a large quantity for such a low price. This comes with a TON of stuff that help him work on his fine motor skills. Big sister who is six is more of the just “pick them up and let them flow through your hands” type. My son’s favorite thing to do is bury the dinos and try to dig them up.
CHECK THE PRICE ON 54 PIECE WATER BEAD KIT
MAGICLUB 24 Piece Water Beads Play Set
This set is great if you have mixed level ages playing with Orbeez together.
The younger ones can bury little sea creatures, the middle aged kids can pretend they’re underwater exploring, and the older kids can read the cards that come with it and learn about the marine animals.
If you’re looking for some ideas on how to introduce sea animals, or if your child’s school curriculum has them studying the ocean this is a great resource. It gives beautiful pictures and short descriptions about each animal in an educational way! Definitely worth it!
CHECK THE PRICE ON MAGICLUB 24 PIECE WATER BEADS PLAY SET
61 Piece Water Beads Sensory Toys Kit
Another great option for a sensory bead kit is this 61 piece Sensory Water Beads Kit. This kit includes 8 colors of sensory water beads packaged separately, 12 sea animal figures, 12 dinosaur figures, 5 different tweezers, 1 set of colorful cups, 10 balloons, 1 instruction brochure for playing 1 Inflatable Water Mat and a scoop.
Whew. That’s a lot to even read, surely it would keep a toddler entertained for just a minute, right?
The playset also contains a container for playing and storage! Play is important, but finding storage for all this stuff is also important for those of us who have to clean up after said little ones.
CHECK THE PRICE ON 61 PIECE WATER BEADS SENSORY TOYS KIT
Water Beads Pack
This is a more simple water beads kit, but can actually be really great for older kids along with toddlers. It comes with the things to make a water beads stress ball which could be used for older ones if they’re stressed out, but can also be good for toddlers who just need to be constantly doing something all the time with their hands.
It also comes with a couple other items to help make a cool sensory pit or set up a small sensory table for your toddler.
CHECK THE PRICE ON WATER BEADS PACK
Ocean Sea Animals Water Beads Play Set
We don’t personally have this one, but it was high on our list and we almost got it before we chose the 54 piece water bead kit. I just thought it was so cute!
The blue water beads look like ocean water – soft and squishy, fun ocean water!
This ocean sea animals play set also includes a water beads picker, tray for playing and storage, and 12 sea animal figures – sea lion, shark, octopus, seahorse, lobster, whale, starfish, blue marlin fish, stingray, crab, walrus, and a sea turtle.
This would be a great idea as an end of the school year/beginning of summer present to give your toddler to create fun all summer long.
CHECK THE PRICE ON OCEAN SEA ANIMALS WATER BEADS PLAY SET
MAGICLUB Water Beads with Fine Motor Skills Toy Set
Finally, this water beads (aka fake Orbeez) set is great for the toddler ages and below. They will be occupied for a long time with these fun little balls! Your children can play games with them like fetch, or just enjoy the feel of this cool water beads.
If you have younger kids, you can have the older kids help them find a certain number of water beads or a certain color to help them with younger preschool skills.
They will quickly become an indoor favorite, time after time! If you do indoor, just make sure they’re contained – speaking from experience. Options are endless when your child plays with this fun water beads kit which includes a set of tweezers for picking up the small water beads, tongs with little hands on the end of them, a strainer and several other tools to help with gross motor skills.
This is a wonderful toy kit for sensory exploration while letting your child learn color recognition and hand-eye coordination at the same time.
This water beads set is great for all children, especially for those with autism spectrum disorders or sensory processing disorders.
CHECK THE PRICE ON MAGICLUB WATER BREADS WITH FINE MOTOR SKILLS TOY SET
If you’re looking for a fun way to keep your toddler occupied and entertained, then these (knock off) Orbeez are the perfect choice.
There are many different kits available for purchase, depending on your child’s age and play style. You could even put some of these kits together and create something like a giant grown Orbeez tube or put them in a plastic tub for a soothing spa day with your toddler.
If these don’t fit for you, take a look at some others at places like Walmart or Target!
I hope this has been helpful and we wish you luck finding just the right Orbeez water bead kit for your toddler or child and if not, maybe at least inspired you to find something you do like!
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