Aquabeads

[bookmum08]

About 6 years ago my daughter had some Aquabeads but got frustrated that they seem to take ages to dry. Have they improved in the last few years or could it be we were doing it wrong? Thanks.

They are Satan’s own work, but the ones we have did dry reasonably well in about an hour. Did best overnight though.

DD loves them. They don't take too long to dry but I keep finding the bloody things everywhere. Only allowed on the kitchen table.
Ditto loom bands.
Delighted though these keep her away from screens.

Thanks. I am trying to find something she can do by herself. She likes beads but can't tie the ends together, likes loom bands but also can't finish them off. Likes Hama beads but that involves a fricking iron.
Maybe I will give them a second go.

We put them on the radiator or boiler to speed the process up, but agree best left alone overnight. God help you if you get a bit of water in the tray though as they all bloody stick together and your DC insist you prise them apart

We've had them but much prefer Hama.

We've done well with these. We do leave over night.

Just seeing your title made my heart lurch. Nuff said.

Hate them with a passion. Gave them away recently. It’s too messy. I would say she is too young to play with them by herself.

Just don't do what that bloke did in France... he put them in the bath but they got through the plug (don't ask me how) and they came up through his loo, ultimately ended up flooding the neighbourhood sewage system. Was quite funny to watch but caused so much damage.

Sorry I read too quickly and thought she as 6.

Ps there's a thread on Twitter with videos of the bloke filming it as it developed...

When she was younger my DD used to enjoy threading beads onto pipe cleaners. It’s much easier than using string because you just twist the ends together and they don’t slide off while being threaded on.

AdriannaP yeah she is almost 12 now. You'd think she'll could do crafty stuff by herself by now - but apparently not
youare sorry to do that to you

Also, the Chad Valley 1000 piece craft kit from Argos is super popular in our house. Doesn't have any beads but there's plenty in it to keep some 6 and 7 year olds occupied. I top up any bits they need over the year then from the poundshop

@caffeinefix
Those weren’t aquabeads, those were orbeez.

Totally different

I got dd some for Christmas, and I was surprised how difficult it is to get them dry.

They are horribly sticky

Ooh I like the pipe cleaner idea. That's clever. We have a gazillion crafty bits already. I think those mini pom pom things are breeding.

Ah, I misread 6 too, probably too old for pipe cleaner threading. Have a look at diamond painting, she might like doing one if she likes aqua beads. If you haven’t seen them it’s kind of painting by numbers using plastic gems, the canvas is sticky so no need for drying time.

I think they might be.. Seem to be one of the only things I never have to replace 😂

I loved origami at that age?

BarkandCheese I reckon she might like the pipe cleaner idea. Even just twisting and fiddling with them. She is almost 12 but her crafting skills are still at the 'young' phase. She likes to fiddle with things so pipe cleaners might have end up being used two ways (three if I took up pipe smoking!!). My mother in law likes those gem diamond things so that's an idea.