- Super Value Pack: Package include 20000 small water beads, 300 large water beads,New combo gives you a new different experience, huge capacity beads for you to play with.
- Safety Material :These jelly beads are safety and environmentally friendly materials,non-fade,non-toxic,100% biodegradable,non-flammable.
- Large Water Beads: Once hydrated they will grow 100 times in size after soaking in the water for 24-36 hours. Compare to the small beads, They do break apart if you bounce them too hard or squeeze them too hard. Perfect for centerpieces, vase filler, any floral design, weddings, shower parties. If broken, also can be used for flower mud.
- Interesting Sensory Exploration: Fully expanded, smooth, squishy water beads create a soothing tactile experience. Ideal for keeping kids happy and busy for hours and playing a fun game, great learning tool, explore science project
- Extensive Application: The water pearls are suitable for home decoration, wedding centerpieces, baby showers, table toys, plant decoration, tactile toys, vase filler, foot spa, preschool kids activities, kids color recognition, counting, fine motor skill, wild imagination training, language development!!
The joy of watching your kids play is incomparable. Furthermore, knowing that they're out there playing with toys that are wholesome and safe does help you sleep a little better at night. So you've finally caught up with the Orbeez craze and now wondering what are Orbeez made of? Are Orbeez bad for your kids or the environment?
Orbeez is a trading name for gel beads that come as tiny balls that significantly grow in size since they retain water. They're growing as one of the most popular toys that are a little different from the mainstream toys for kids. Additionally, these Orbeez balls can be used in so many other ways around the house. These colorful water beads could also be used to make your space much brighter and more colorful when used for decoration.
Due to its structure and water retention, the Orbeez jelly balls can be reused several times. However, they also come with a relatively short lifespan, so eventually, you'll need to dispose them of. Many people wonder just how to best dispose them of and whether they have any impact on the environment. Others simply want to know whether these water beads contain any toxic chemicals, whether they are biodegradable, and their recycling options if any.
What Are Orbeez Balls?
Generally, Orbeez are small, highly absorbent beads that significantly grow in size when put in water. You can create a giant Orbeez that's increased in diameter, more than 150 times its normal size, reaching a 14 mm diameter. The real magic happens best when these jelly beads are put in either warm or hot water, without anything added to it. So in actually sense, the purer or warmer the water you use, the bigger the beads will get.
This is the good kind of magic with some scientific explanation behind it. Interestingly, Orbeez are made of super absorbent polymers. The polymer beads are made from acrylic acid, sodium hydroxide and water. The color pigmentation is also added to give it a variety of shades. The water molecules then make Orbeez grow so much bigger in size.
The best part is that these super absorbent polymer beads, the Orbeez are absolutely safe to play with since they don't contain any harmful chemicals or plastic materials. In addition, they are non-toxic, meaning that in a case where the child has swallowed one of the beads, it won't cause any serious health problems. Ideally, it will simply pass through their digestive tract without causing any serious harm. However, suppose your kid swallows a whole bunch of Orbeez beads. In that case, it's advisable to immediately rush them to the hospital to avoid any complications in their digestive system or breathing system.
As a general toy buying guide, if the toy or its parts could wholly fit into a 35mm film canister, then don't give it to a child who's under 3 years of age. Additionally, when buying toys for an infant, avoid:
- Tiny toys that can fit into their mouth
- Toys with small parts such as beads or buttons that can easily come off when either pulled, twisted, squeezed or dropped - because it will be, a lot actually!
Why They Invented Orbeez?
The Orbeez origin dates back to the US Agricultural sector that developed Orbeez seeds in the early 1960s. The sole purpose of these beads was to absorb water during the rainy season and then release it to the crops during the dry season to help plants survive and grow in the harsh weather.
Although Orbeez was really not the first to be used in farms for this purpose, it really played a crucial role in boosting the agricultural productivity in a lot of fo farms. However, Orbeez cannot be described as a natural product, which is why many people wonder whether these water beads are really biodegradable or not.
The new hydro orbs are made from Acrylonitrile polymer ingredients, and unlike nylon, cotton, or regular tissue papers, the Orbeez takes slightly longer to degrade. So technically, the environmental impact of your Orbeez largely depends on its original form. Additionally, its environmental impact is really not bad despite its slow decomposition rate.
Overall, these water beads are non-toxic, biodegradable, and can be safely used as play tools by children who are of age and pets. In addition, since water beads don't contain any harsh chemicals, they won't harm marine life, but you'll still need to dispose them of properly. One way to do that is to mix it in garden soil, which will shrink it and biodegrade it more quickly, and the soil gets to retain moisture.
As a popular toy, one of the best ways to let the children play using Orbeez is to buy Orbeez substitute the regular nerf bullets in nerf guns with these water Orbs. This not only lets your kid have all the fun safely but also means that you don't have to clean after them after. The beads will be absorbed; this will help keep your plants moisturized- win-win for every party.
Due to their great water absorbent ability, water beads will always have a vital place in your garden to save you on water. If you grow fruits and vegetables, then you definitely have a place for the use of the Orbeez beads. Fortunately, since the pigment they contain isn't released into the soil, Orbeez beads are completely safe for use on your fruits or vegetable while they grow. So once your kids are tired of playing with Orbeez, you can also use them to water or pot plants, for colorful decoration and even for 'fake' snow.
When dry, you can put the Orbeez water beads in large bags to help control or contain the floods. These gel beads aren't new and have developed some common uses such as:
- Water supply to small animals, such as crickets
- Retain the water in the soil for plants
- Can replace the soil in potted indoor plants
- Ammunition in toy guns
- Colorful decorations such as artificial snow
- The absorbent gel in sanitary napkins and disposable diapers
- In large amounts for flood control
- Used in decoration
- Perfect for art projects
- Colorful play toy
- Making light jars with the visual flair
- Orbeez are therapeutic and are used as a stress ball by a lot of adults, especially when wet
Are Orbeez Biodegradable?
You may be wondering, "Are Orbeez toxic?" but short answer, no. Orbeez are made of acrylic polymer, which is non-toxic. Since the original usage of water beads was to mix them in soil or grow plants in them, they were reasonably made safe for the environment and are absolutely biodegradable. This is also why they're still used in farming or in craft stores and flower shops to create those stunning flower decorations.
A new pack of Orbeez will also show you that it's 100% biodegradable and that Orbeez is non-toxic and absolutely safe for kids who are of age and pets. However, like other toys, Orbeez should also be used with caution and are not recommended for children under three since they pose a choking hazard and obstruction in the digestive system.
Generally, they are suitable for children at the age 5+ and even then, they should be used under supervision. Ideally, if small quantities are swallowed, it should just go through the digestive tract causing no problem, but if more are swallowed, then medical help should be sought immediately.
What To Do With Broken Beads?
Many people would be concerned that if the beads break, the water will splash and make everything around wet. However, that's not the case. Orbeez grow due to absorbing water in a chemical process that makes the polymer chains absorb water into them. So, don't expect water to leak after breaking the beads.
It has a gel-like consistency and is somewhat hard to crash. The excess water will 'leak' out from the Orbeez only when you leave them to dry in a container. With time, these beads will start releasing the water they've accumulated and shrink back to their regular size.
How To Shrink Back The Orbeez?
You may have grown so many Orbeez for a game or decoration and probably don't need them anymore and are wondering if you could possibly shrink them. Well, yes. Orbeez are meant to be reusable, so in that case, they can be shrunk back and then grown again in water for other fun activities. Here's how to do it:
a) Leave them in the sun. This is the easiest way to shrink back Orbeez water beads since they'll release the water and shrink to normal size
b) Thin layers help fasten the whole drying process
C) Salt helps speed up the whole process since salt helps release the water
d) Alcohol also helps Orbeez balls shrink by roughly 25% but will not help completely dry the seeds
How Long Does Orbeez Take To Grow?
If you're planning for your kids to play out in the garden, baby pool or trampoline, keep in mind that the Orbeez bead takes roughly 4 hours to absorb enough water for it to grow into a nice, plump and squishy orb. For maximum size, make sure that you've soaked it in pure distilled water or warm water. Additionally, soaking the beads overnight also helps them grow much bigger.
What's even cooler is that crushing or cutting them won't spill water to cause any mess since the polymer absorbs the water by merging with it, in a process that makes the water become part of itself. Quite a marvel, isn't it?
How Long Should You Use Orbeez Balls?
Generally, Orbeez are reusable, meaning you can shrink them, inflate them again in water and repeat the process 2-3 times after. Be on the look out for any unpleasant smell or mold growth; this should be your cue to dispose of your Orbeez immediately. Then, simply buy a new pack and enjoy your water beads.
To keep them fresh for a longer period, it's advisable to either wash your hands and feet prior to using them in Orbeez. Once you're done playing with them, put them in a closed container, plastic bag or zipper bag. Without air, grown Orbeez can last up to a week in this state and will still be good to play with. The water beads have different lifespans, depending on how you use them.
If used in light-up products, the grown Orbeez can go for several months, just as long as they are not exposed to air. When used for decoration, Orbeez can last roughly 1-2 years because of the exposure to light. However, when mixed with soil, that these beads have the longest life span. When used to retain moisture for plants, they can go as long as 7-9 years.
How To Safely Dispose Orbeez?
Often, people wonder how best to dispose of the Orbeez of once done with them. But, if not well disposed of, they could easily clog pipes, toilets, sinks or the whole sewerage system.
- Put them in the soil
Once done playing with the water beads, either we're done with them for some decoration, one way to dispose them of is by remembering their initial purpose – to moisturize plants in the soil. So one way to dispose of them is to pour them into your flower beds or mix them with soil in the potted plants or garden. As a bonus, you won't have to water the plants as often as you would prior. This is great for the floral industry.
- Collect and throw them at the dumpsite
Unlike disposable diapers, it's safe to throw them with your trash, but it's always good to first put them in a bag or container since Orbeez balls can be quite slippery and may cause accidents. This will also prevent pets from swallowing them.
Authorities globally certify that Orbeez are safe, biodegradable and won't have any negative environmental impact, unlike plastic. Just as long as you can dispose of Orbeez balls as you should. Don't:
- Flush Orbeez balls because they could burst pipes
- Pour Orbeez out in the street
Frequently Asked Questions On Orbeez Beads
1. Can Orbeez grow mold?
The growth of mold on Orbeez beads is quite unusual since the co-polymer chain that makes up the Orbeez bead cannot produce mold. Meaning that the mold is probably coming from the dust or dirt in your environment. It's advised that you throw away your pack once you notice any mold. Additionally, before playing with the Orbeez, always wash your feet or hands.
2. How many Orbeez can go into a bathtub?
Generally, 100 dried water beads give 1 cup (240 ml) of fully grown Orbeez. 16 cups give a gallon, so 1,600 beads give a gallon; you'll need at least 67,200 water beads for a standard-sized 42-gallon (159-liter) bathtub.
3. How to best use Orbeez balls for education?
Here are the dos and don'ts for best practice:
Do's
a) Use them for sensory output by creating many different sensory output bins and containers for your students using these water beads
b) Science experiments, for instance, using different colored water beads, have your students make different hypotheses about which colored beads will expand quickest/slowest or most/least
c) Practice fine motor skills, using an empty water bottle and some grown beads, for students to put the water beads in the empty bottle
Don'ts
a) Freeze them since they'll just turn mushy after defrosting them
b) Don't expect them to shrink up as fast, be patient with them
c) Don't expect them to last forever
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