They are water-filled marbles that are squishy, bouncy, and SO MUCH FUN! Today, I experimented to see if I could make glow-in-the-dark water beads. I was amazed by the results! Read on for the easy tutorial.
What are Water Beads?
If you are unfamiliar with water beads
they are tiny polymers that fill with water. They are most commonly used for keeping plants and flowers hydrated. They can be found in the floral section of most stores or on Amazon here.
they are tiny polymers that fill with water. They are most commonly used for keeping plants and flowers hydrated. They can be found in the floral section of most stores or on Amazon here.They are a truly amazing sensory material for kids, and there are tons of fun ways to use them in activities! Are you ready to blow the kids away with GLOWING water beads?
How to Make Water Beads Glow
Materials
- Water beads
- Neon Paint
- Warm water
- Bowls
- A sensory bin or container
Note: For the best effect you will want to use a blacklight for this activity. My girls love using these super cool flashlights. We also have a blacklight fixture that we often use.
Method
- Begin by squirting a dollop of paint into a bowl, using one bowl for each color of water beads that you wish to make.
- Add very warm water to the bowls and stir until the paint is dissolved into the water.
- You now have a variety of glowing water colors!
- Add clear water beads to each bowl.
- Then, allow the beads to soak in the bowls of fluorescent water for several hours.
- As the water beads soak they will fill with water and expand.
- Add more water to the bowls as needed.
- In 4-6 hours your water beads will be fully expanded and ready for play!
- Pour them into a sensory bin or container, and the fun can begin!
Add buckets, shovels, and kitchen gadgets, and kids are sure to find all sorts of ways to explore!
Other fun ways to play with your glowing water beads:
- Make a water bead sensory window.
- Make water bead slime.
- Play with water beads and shaving cream.
- Make a water bead sensory bin.
- For even more ideas visit this post what to do with water beads.
Tips & Storage:
- Water beads can be stored for up to two weeks.
- Store water beads in a covered container, and rinse them with cold water between play times.
- The neon paint that we used for this activity can be found online here.
- The blacklight fixture that we use in our activities can be purchased on Amazon here.
