Hydrogel beads, or aqua soil, were originally created for growing plants. Which of the mothers and when the idea came to mind to use them as a toy for children is not known. But now games with hydrogel have become very popular among mothers and children. What attracts these balls?
Description
Hydrogel balls - small peas of bright color. In size, they look like peppercorns. Their diameter is about 2 mm. But after the balls have lain for some time in the water, they swell and increase tens of times. They become soft, elastic and pleasant to the touch. They can be reduced by laying in a sunny place.
Under the influence of its rays, they gradually lose their bright color. Therefore, they can be used a certain number of times. Then you need to buy new hydrogel balls.
Instruction manual
Hydrogel is sold packaged in small plastic bags with zip-locks. This is convenient because the plastic clasp makes it possible to reuse the packaging. Hydrogel peas will not fall out and be lost. Usually in one bag are granules of the same color. But there are sets in which there are multi-colored hydrogel balls. The price of one package is 25 rubles.
The hydrogel balls are poured with water, previously placed in the dishes. There should be much more water than a hydrogel. Do not be afraid that your balls will be lost and you will never see them again. After 6 hours, they will become noticeable, after 12 they can be played. And they will completely swell in a day. Then their diameter will be from 10 to 12 mm.
It is not recommended to touch the balls before swelling, otherwise their structure may be disturbed and they will disintegrate upon drying.
Usually from each bag a 3-liter jar of beautiful shiny balls is obtained.
How to use hydrogel beads
Create a sensory box. For this, any plastic bowl or basin is suitable. Its size should be such that the balls after swelling were placed in it freely. But the child will be uncomfortable to play if the dishes are very large.
Pour hydrogel into a bowl. It will be interesting for children to play with them, to try them by touch. But at first they won’t cause much interest.
Fill the balls with water and leave to swell for a while. After 3-6 hours, you can go with the child to the bowl and see how the granules behave. The child will see that they increased in size, but became translucent. You can try to pick them up. After 12 hours, you can play with them.
Inventory
Use various strainers, plastic holders, spoons.
To place elongated balls you need plastic bottles with a wide neck, auxiliary materials for folding (bowls, flat surfaces with recesses).
How to play
Check what the temperature of the water is, whether it will be cold for the hands of the child.
- Balls can be removed from the bowl by hand. They are quite slippery and resilient, easily slip out of the hands of a child. Therefore, he has to make some efforts. This causes interest in the baby, because the balls become like alive. Often they drop out of their hands and jump on the floor. Collecting them, he also develops fingers, learns to coordinate movements, develops fine motor skills of hands.
- You can remove the granules with a plastic spoon or strainer. The second way is better because the balls are removed without water. Spread on the surface, examine. You can immediately put them in a plastic bottle. This activity develops agility and coordination.
- You can play balls without taking them out of the water. The child sorts granules, pours from one hand to another.
- Multi-colored ball sets will help you learn colors. For this, balls of different colors are placed in separate bottles.
- Small toys are placed in a bowl with granules, mixed. A child with closed eyes tries to find them among the granules and guess their name.
- If children begin to count, you can use hydrogel balls to develop these skills. The child takes out balls and counts them.
- There are special kits in which the balls are attached to a set of dyes. They color them with water, pour out balls and observe how the color of the granules changes.
Safety regulations
Playing with hydrogel balls, you must not leave the child unattended. Make sure that he does not stick them in his mouth or swallow them.
If this happens, consult your doctor with a sample of balls. It is believed that they are harmless. It is known that gnawing and swallowing this substance does not result in death or acute poisoning.
There is information that unpainted hydrogel balls are used for weight loss. To do this, eat a small amount of balls. In the stomach they swell and create the effect of satiety. Then the balls are destroyed and excreted. During the experiment, some of the subjects felt nauseous.
But to risk the health of the child is not worth it. Moreover, they play with colored granules. After the game you need to wash your hands well with soap.
The use of hydrogel granules in floriculture
The aqua ground, which is supposedly sold for growing plants, has a bright, catchy color and the correct shape. This is designed to make hydrogel beads that are attractive in appearance for flowers buy faster than gray and inconspicuous.
90% of the hydrogel is a hydro soil created with a decorative purpose. It is not intended for growing plants. Therefore, they die in such a "ground." Plant life depends on the power reserve of the plant. But the balls can be used to transport flowers. Granules will give moisture to the plant, and it will not pour out of the dishes.
If you leave home for a couple of weeks, you can place hydrogel balls in the soil to the plants. They will get water and then give it to the plants. But for a long time they will not be enough, therefore, it is not worth counting that the balls will look after the flowers for a month or more.
A true plant hydrogel is not painted in bright colors. Do not give it its original form. In Western countries, the hydrogel is produced and used. But there it is gray inconspicuous color. Its creators focus on suitability for growing plants.
Reviews of young mothers
Moms of young children leave the most enthusiastic reviews about hydrogel balls. They note that playing with them holds the attention of the kids much longer than other toys. They even leave the children to play (which is not worth doing), and they go about their own business. How many granules were eaten during these classes is unknown. But since the hydrogel balls are tasteless, it can be assumed that a little.
Parents talk about educational games that they play with their children. This is a more useful activity. A hydrogel can be especially useful for children with developmental problems.
Negative reviews
Some users say that the flowers "planted" in hydrogel balls soon disappeared or their condition worsened. Others attribute this to the fact that colored hydrogel granules are not intended for growing flowers.
Some users doubt whether the brightly-colored Chinese- made balls will harm the health of the child. There are no statistics or other information about the dangers of the balls. Therefore, each parent decides whether to buy these toys for his child.