Wondering About Water Marbles?

Have you ever wondered if water marbles would be fun for your kids?




Our themes for July include Sea Life and Oceans, so I was thrilled to discover Dew Drops Water Beads, which also come with a set of 15 ocean animals. My kids were as excited as I was when the package arrived, and we eagerly tried out our new find.










We measured out the beads according to package directions--1 tablespoon of beads in 1/2 gallon water to make 8 cups of beads. It looks like there is enough for 6-8 tablespoons, so the package is good for more than a one-time use.



The package states it may take up to 8 hours for the beads to fully form, and this was true for us.  My kids enjoyed watching the beads grow and asked throughout the day to look in the pitcher, and wanted to touch and feel the beads.  If your kids can't wait, start the beads at night so they'll be ready in the morning.

My kids could not contain their excitement, and played all afternoon with the sea animals while they waited for the beads. We were able to try them out the next morning, after they were fully inflated. All three of my kids loved playing the water beads, but there were some problems from a mommy-perspective.


These beads break very easily--they are much more fragile than I anticipated. My almost 3-year-old couldn't help himself from squishing them, causing them to crack and break apart. My 4-year-old understood that they could break and tried to be careful, but the sea creatures that came in the kit would poke and cut the beads. Once punctured, the beads easily fell apart. Even my daughter's fingernails were enough to cut into the beads.





Overall, the kids loved the sensory aspect of playing with the beads, and they continue to enjoy playing with them past the initial excitement stage. For me, I wish they held up better--the beads will not be something we can keep and reuse, the way I originally thought. But since the kit comes with enough beads to make at least 6 batches, even if we throw them out after a week or two, it's still a good buy for the price. Plus, the ocean animals are well-made and the kids have played with those separately from the beads, and those will hold up over time.