These are Super absorbent polymers made from a special material called Micro-Polymers. These Micro-Polymers are soft and squishy, but they never get wet or sticky! They can be used repeatedly without wearing out (as long as you follow the care instructions).
The beads come in many colors, so you can create a beautiful mosaic pattern by mixing them. You can also create designs with the beads by arranging them into different shapes or patterns on a flat surface.
Orbeez is made of non-toxic polyethylene, which is flexible and durable enough for children to play with safely. The beads have no odor, but they have a slight chemical scent when they first come out of the package — this goes away after the first few uses.
What Are Orbeez?
The toy is a small ball of gel-like beads that expand when water is added. They were originally marketed as Orbeez Stress Relief Balls, but the name was later changed to Orbeez Gelli Beads due to trademark issues.
History
Orbeez was created by a toy designer named Tali Ben-Ezer, in 1992. They were originally marketed as stress relievers for adults but soon became popular among children.
The Orbeez website offers several kits containing everything needed to create different shapes using gel beads. There are also kits available that include just the balls themselves without any other materials needed for creation. Many of these kits also come with an instruction guide that shows you how to make different shapes, like animals or flowers, out of the balls after they have expanded with water.
Sizes Of Orbeez
There are different sizes available, including small ones (1/2 inch) and large ones (1 inch).
You can use these Orbeez as bath toys or stress balls at home or take them with you on the go.
Possible Uses
Orbeez is tiny little beads that can be used for fun things. Such as
- They can be used in the bathtub to create a spa experience, or
- They can be used as a stress relief toy in the office.
- Kids usually use these for playtime.
- It usually uses in flower decor pots to give a fresh look to the room.
- Kids use these tiny balls in their play shotguns.
- People usually use Orbeez balls in the LED lights jar where they leave these balls in the jar and reflect light like disco.
How To Use Orbeez?
Orbeez are tiny, colorful balls of gel that are great for any age! There are many different ways you can use Orbeez:
Grow them in the water
This is one of the most popular ways to use your Orbeez. All you need is some water (preferably warm or hot), Orbeez, and patience! It usually takes 24 hours for your Orbeez to expand in the water fully, but sometimes it can take longer depending on how much water was initially absorbed into each bead.
Play with them in the dry form
If you're not a fan of wet activities, then you can still have fun with your Orbeez! They don't need to be wet to be played with, so feel free to let your imagination run wild with these little guys!
The possibilities are endless! You can create sculptures, play games, and make jewelry. The list goes on and on! And it doesn't matter if they're wet or dry because they'll still retain their shape when they dry out again (which only takes 15-20 minutes at most).
Squeeze them between your fingers
If you have ever had an Orbee Ball, then squishing these little guys will feel very familiar. Grab a handful of Orbeez and squeeze them between your fingers until they pop open like flowers! You can also use this trick to help relieve stress by squeezing out all of those bad vibes from your body!
Add them to other crafts
If you're looking for something more than just playing with your Orbeez, try adding them to an arts and craft project. You can make bracelets, necklaces, and even brooches by using Orbeez.
Use them as the sensory play
The texture of Orbeez is unlike anything else on the market today and makes for an amazing sensory experience! Your child will love feeling how smooth the beads feel on their hands, feet, face, and even tongues! You can also add them to bathwater for extra fun!
Add them to your bathwater
Orbeez will float around on top of the water's surface, relaxing your bath! You'll have fun watching them move around through the water, and they'll also help keep your skin moisturized.
They're a stress reliever
Orbeez is made from non-toxic material, so it can be squished and squeezed without causing any harm. This makes them perfect for those who love to play with their hands or who have trouble focusing on tasks.
Make an Orbeez slime
All you need is some glue, water, and your favorite color of Orbeez. Mix all the ingredients (remember to add food coloring!) until they reach a consistency similar to that of peanut butter. You can then play with your homemade slime or store it in an airtight container to last longer.
Use them as jewelry
Put them on a necklace or bracelet for a fun accessory that everyone will love!
Use them as weights
If you have some things that need weighing down, you can put Orbeez on top to keep them from moving around too much. This can be useful if you want to protect sensitive papers from getting wet or if you want to keep papers in place while they dry out after being soaked by rain or spilled water (or even if you want to keep them from flying around the room).
Put them on your feet
Orbeez is great for putting on your feet because they feel soothing and soft and easy to clean off afterward. They'll make your feet feel so much better!
How to make Orbeez balls big?
You can make Orbeez balls at home with simple supplies and a little time.
What you need:
- Orbeez (available on Amazon)
- A bowl or jar that's slightly larger than the size of your Orbeez
- Water (tap water is fine)
- Funnel (optional)
Method
- Fill a bowl with warm water and add 1/2 cup of vinegar. (Vinegar is optional only for dissolving your Orbeez balls quickly).
- Get an empty bottle and fill it with warm water (halfway).
- Place a funnel in the bottle's opening and pour your dissolved Orbeez into the funnel.
- Pour slowly so that all of your Orbeez are inside the bottle and none spill over onto your countertop!
- Once you have all of your Orbeez in your bottle, screw on the lid tightly and shake until all of your Orbeez are covered in water!
- Let them sit for 4-5 minutes to absorb as much liquid as possible.
- Once soaking, remove from water and place on paper towels until dry!
- Now you have some beautiful new Orbeeze beads ready for anything (except eating!)
Is Orbeez Made Up Of Superabsorbent Polymers (SAP)?
Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) are a class of polymers that can absorb large amounts of water. These polymers can be synthesized using ring-opening polymerization and condensation polymerization.
SAP Commonly Found In
They are commonly found in diapers, feminine hygiene products, and cat litter. The material can also be used in building construction, sometimes called "expanding foam" or "foam creates."
How does Orbeez Expand?
When Orbeez are added to water, they expand and absorb water molecules into their shell. The more you add to the water, the more they grow! The growth process lasts until all of the water has been absorbed.
How long does it take for Orbeez to grow in water?
Usually, it takes about 10 minutes for an Orbeez bead to absorb water and fully expand to its full size. They will continue to absorb more water until they reach their maximum volume of 30ml (1 oz).
Originally, it depends on how many you put in at once and how much water you have available for them to absorb. It usually takes about 30 seconds for an 8 oz container of Orbeez to absorb 1 gallon of water (3 pounds).
How Scientifically Orbeez Expand Its Orginal Size?
Orbeez was designed by the influence of Superabsorbent Polymer extracts used in diapers. The purpose of introducing these versatile tiny balls was to provide stress relief. The basis of superabsorbent polymers is a polymer resin, which comprises long chains of monomers that bond together to form large molecules. When the liquid comes into contact with the superabsorbent polymer, the water molecules bond to the surface of these large molecules, causing them to swell up and become very soft and flexible.
Is Orbeez Dangerous For Kids To Play?
The commission said it had received few reports of incidents involving children who swallowed Orbeez balls and suffered from gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Orbeez were also reported to have irritated the mouth, throat, and esophagus in some cases. The commission has yet to determine and is still working on finding out how many WaterBalz were sold. However, it noted that they were distributed nationwide from October 2010 through September 2012 for between $1 and $2 each.
Is it Possible that kids may swallow Orbeez while playing?
According to the National Library Of Medicine, there is a high risk of kids swallowing Orbeez unintentionally or intentionally. Whereas it has been reported that 86% of the ingestions were unintentional.
On the other hand, 78% of cases are handled on the spot.
How to dispose of Orbeez balls?
There are two ways to dispose of Orbeez:
- Place them in an airtight container (such as a ziplock bag) and dispose of them with regular household waste.
Or
- Drop them off at a recycling center in your area. This is especially recommended if you live near an ocean or lake, as Orbeez can harm marine life if they get into the water supply.
How to shrink Orbeez?
After playing alot when you get bored and want these Orbeez to be saved for better next time, place them under the sun and leave for a little longer. If you cannot leave your Orbeez under the sun, leave them near heat such as a stove, heater, or internal heating. As much as heat absorbs by these it starts shrinking its size.
What if you like to recycle your Orbeez?
If you'd like to recycle your Orbeez, there are several options:
- You can send your used Orbeez back to the company (via mail), so others can reuse them;
- You can donate your used Orbeez at local schools or hospitals; or
- You can turn them into art!
What May Happen If Orbeez Swallowed?
If swallowed, Orbeez could become lodged in your child's throat or esophagus and cause choking or blockage.
National Library Of Medicine reported probable side effects of swallowing Orbeez: vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, and fever.
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