The kids LOVE playing with water beads. We purchase some clear ones for $1.00 at dollar tree and then dyed them into a rainbow of colors with food coloring. We placed them in cups to let the dye take, it took a good few hours.
Here is where we were letting the sit in the coloring. They were SO pretty. I used mason jars because I have so many and I could take so nice pictures of them in a line like this one.
And this one…
My favorite was the purple and blue… and red, orange, green…. and yes yellow too. I just thought they all looked great.
And another close up of each color… these were taken by CB. I am raising a photo bug crafting partner. I will have to get her her own camera so she will let me use my occasionally.
And Now for the glowing water bead play part of the post….
We use a portable light pad that was made using the same basic idea I used in this post at Miniature Masterminds. Although now we have altered it by using a different light box which has a larger area, is thinner, and completely flat. It still only cost about 10.00 for the whole set up. We also now refer to it as the light up pad instead of table or box. Not that that matters. 🙂
When we added them all together I had to snap fast because Lou was wanting to get her hands in the beads so bad she couldn’t wait for me to get pictures of them all in the tub together before mixing the colors up.
I couldn’t help playing a little myself with these in the light up pad. I thought they were pretty before the light was added but after they light up like jewels.
I think this is another picture from CB. I liked how she had the lights shining through the cups.
These water beads are not safe to let them play without supervision. The can’t put them in their mouth. So if you do try this, make sure you discuss with the children about them not being edible. And from the looks of them they would probably taste nasty.
Food coloring does rub off on the child’s hands a little.
