Hydrogel balls: instruction, prices, reviews

The hydrogel balls, or aquagrite, were originally created for growing plants. Which of the moms and when the idea to use them as a toy for children came to mind - it is not known. But now games with hydrogel have become very popular with moms and children. What attracts these balls?

Description

Hydrogel balls - small peas of bright color. They are similar in size to peppercorns. Their diameter is about 2 mm. But after the balls have lay 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.

Instructions

The hydrogel is sold in small plastic bags with zip-lock fasteners. This is convenient, because the plastic fastener makes it possible to repeatedly use the packaging. The peas of the hydrogel will not fall out and get lost. Usually in one package there 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 pellets are filled with water, previously placed in a bowl. The water should be much larger than the 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 hours they can be played. And they swell completely in a day. Then their diameter will be from 10 to 12 mm.

Do not recommend touching the balls before swelling, otherwise their structure may break and they will disintegrate when dry.

Usually from each sachet is obtained by a 3-liter can of beautiful shiny balls.

How to use hydrogel balls

Create a sensor box. For this, any plastic bowl or basin is suitable. The size of it should be such that the balls after swelling are placed in it freely. But the child will not be comfortable playing if the dishes are very large.

The hydrogel is filled in a bowl. For children it will be interesting to play with them, try them by touch. But at first they will not cause much interest.

Pour the balls with water and leave for a while to swell. In about 3-6 hours, you can go with the baby to the bowl and see how the pellets behave. The child will see that they increased in size, but became translucent. You can try to take them in hand. After 12 hours you can play with them.

Inventory

Use different strainer, plastic holders, spoons.

To accommodate elongated balls need plastic bottles with a wide neck, auxiliary materials for unfolding (bowls, flat surfaces with depressions).

How to play

Check what the water temperature is, whether it will not be cold for the baby's hands.

• Balls can be removed from the bowl by hand. They are quite slippery and elastic, easily slip out of the hands of the child. Therefore, he has to make some efforts. This causes interest in the baby, because the balls become as alive. Often they fall out of the hands and jump on the floor. Collecting them, he also develops fingers, learns to coordinate movements, develops small motor skills of hands.
• Remove the granules with a plastic spoon or a strainer. The second way is better that the balls are taken out without water. Spread out on the surface, scrutinize. You can immediately put them in a plastic bottle. This activity develops dexterity and coordination.
• You can play with balls, without taking them out of the water. The child picks up the granules, pours from one hand to the other.
• Multicolored sets of balls will help you learn the colors. To do this, balls of different colors are placed in separate bottles.
• Place small toys in a bowl with granules, mix. A child with closed eyes tries to find them among the granules and guess their name.
• If children start to count, you can use the hydrogel balls to develop these skills. The child takes out the balls and considers them.
• There are special sets in which the balls are attached to a set of dyes. Stain them with water, pour out the balls and observe how the color of the granules changes.

Safety regulations

Playing with hydrogel balls, you should not leave the child unattended. Take care that he does not put them in his mouth and do not swallow.

If this happens, consult a doctor, taking samples of balls with you. There is an opinion that they are harmless. It is known that gnawing and ingestion of this substance does not lead to 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 a satiety effect. Then the balls are destroyed and removed from the body. During the experiment, some of the subjects experienced nausea.

But you should not risk the health of a child. 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

Aquagrunt, which is sold allegedly for growing plants, has a bright, catchy color and the right shape. This is designed to ensure that eye-catching balls for hydrogel flowers are more likely to buy than gray and plain.

90% hydrogel is a hydrograph created for decorative purposes. It is not intended for growing plants. Therefore they perish in such a "ground". The lifetime of plants depends on the reserve of plant forces. But the balls can be used to transport flowers. The granules will give moisture to the plant, but it will not flow out of the dishes.

If you leave home for a couple of weeks, you can put in the ground to plants hydrogel balls. They will collect water, and then they will give it to the plants. But for a long time they are not enough, so it is not worthwhile to expect that the balls will be taken care of for a month or more.

The present hydrogel for plants is not colored in bright colors. Do not give it the original form. In the western countries, the hydrogel is produced and used. But there it is gray, inconspicuous color. Its creators focus on the suitability for growing plants.

Reviews of young mothers

Mom of young children leave the most enthusiastic reviews about hydrogel balls. They note that games with them detain the attention of kids much longer than other toys. They even leave their children to play (which should not be done), but they are engaged in their own affairs. How many pellets were eaten during these exercises - is unknown. But since the hydrogel balls are not tasty, it can be assumed that a little.

Parents talk about developing games, which they do together with children. This is more useful. Especially useful is a hydrogel for children with developmental problems.

Reviews are negative

Some users say that flowers "planted" in hydrogel balls, soon disappeared or their condition worsened. Others explain this by the fact that colored hydrogel granules are not intended for growing flowers.

Some users doubt whether the brightly colored balls of Chinese production will harm the child's health. There is no statistics or other information about the dangers of the balls. Therefore, each parent decides whether to buy his child these toys.