hama beads or aqua beads?

[HotchpotchHoney]

looking to buy dd1 some crafty bits for christmas rather than the endless dolls and sylvanian families.
Have decided she would like the hama beads or aqua beads but ccan;t decide which would be better. dd is 5 in march.
any other suggestions for a 4 and half year old girl?
thanks

[PandaG]

hama beads definitely. aqua beads are crap and do not stay together at all ime. At least hama do mostly stay together!

[jetcat]

we have had both, and found that hama beads definitely held together more than the aqua - which seemed to snap as soon as DD picked them up

Every day i thank the lord that she has finally outgrown them, as i was forever hoovering them finding them all over the floor

[BooBooImpaledOnBrokenGlass]

Hama beads are great. But yes, get a special little dustpan and brush for them too.
My dd got a little kit to make her own purse for her last birthday, she really liked that. Do you have a bead shop anywhere nearby? We have a great one and dd likes to pick pretty beads to thread onto a length of elastic to make a necklace. Costs a couple of quid at most.

[HotchpotchHoney]

hama beads it is then!
The beads and necklace elastic is a good idea, no bead shop near me bu i guess ebay might be useful for wooden beads etc?
\Thanks

[Sprogstersmum]

Ikea do a huge pot of hama type beads for £5 ( I think it was £5, about that anyrate). Hobbycraft have loads of beads if there's one anywhere near - and lots suitable for children. Also got some in The Range.