Water Bead Play

This water bead sensory activity is highly addictive for toddlers. Water beads are surprisingly bouncy and this added with water and some bottles and containers is a very easy way to keep toddlers busy. This water bead activity is not only a great sensory activity but also a great work out for their gross and fine motor skills. All that pouring and attempting to pick them up is a serious workout for little fingers and hands.

Set Up

Although the set up for this water bead activity is easy, it does need to be done ahead of time. Water beads can be bought online and a little goes a long way. I have had the same pot for over two years. The night or morning before, the water beads need to be put in a container with lots of water and left for at least 6 hours. I will generally put them in to soak first thing in the morning, ready to be played with that afternoon. I added bottles as F loves pouring and screwing and unscrewing lids at the moment. I originally added the little containers and people as I wanted to link it to ‘My Many Coloured Days’ by Dr Seuss which we had read. But M had other ideas…

The girls were keen to get started and their hands went straight in. Bottles were opened, contents were poured out and then they went about attempting to refill them. There was scooping, pouring in, pouring out. Individual beads were picked up. I had originally hoped that I could get M to sort the various colours into the different containers. One for each container so that we could then discuss how they might be feeling linked to the Dr Seuss story. However she was not interested and wanted to instead use the beads to make pretend smoothies; with the different colours representing different fruits. I was happy to go with what she wanted to do.

They both enjoyed this water bead activity so much I had to tear them away in the end. It was great for their gross motor skills as well as their pincer grip; trying to pick up a single water bead is not as easy as it might look. M asked to save it all for the next day to play with again. Clearing up once we had finished was a doddle too.

One thing to note is that water beads are not safe to eat. I would advise waiting to do this activity until your little one is out of the stage of putting everything their mouth.

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