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water bead free play: relaxing, soothing, & so totally worth it

home / family life / family fun / indoor activities / water bead free play: relaxing, soothing, & so totally worth it
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water bead free play During the school year, my kids are tired.

Their days are long, the nights are short, and quite frankly, they’re just tired.

Add an afternoon activity one or two days a week–which I know they need as much as they need the academic part of their days–and, well, they’re even more tired.

So we try to keep weekends free, and we do our best to keep at least two weeknights activity-free as well.

But what I’ve been doing lately is pulling out some of our old favorites for a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon–crafts and toys and resources that Maddy, Owen, and Cora can just breeze through at their leisure.

They love it.

And so do I.

Here’s the skinny. . .

  • Water Bead Free Play– Relaxing, Soothing, & So Totally Worth It:ย  Who says that elementary schoolers shouldn’t play with play-dough?

Why can’t they finger paint or play with pipe cleaners or water beads?

water bead free play

Maddy sorts her water beads. . .

water bead free play

. . . and Owen does the same.

Stomp in mud? Yes. String beads? Absolutely.ย  Play freely with water beads? You bet.

I think they can–and should add time in the day for such things. . . but I also know very well that there’s a whole lot of other really important stuff they need to cover in school, so I’m doing more to throw these important elements into our weekends.

Not a lot–totally no stress–but just sneaking it in when we can, even if it’s only for a few minutes here and there.

water bead free play

Maddy sorts —

water bead free play

–and Cora sorts–and they admire how colors change as they remove and add certain beads.

This weekend I brought out the ole water beads–sans our homemade light table–and though we left them in the cabinet over the summer and they stunk like the nastiest of nasty, Maddy and I scoured, scented, washed, and rinsed our beads until they were as good as new.ย 

And after the beads were fresh and clean, while Owen was at soccer, the girls and I put the beads in three separate baking dishes so we could appreciate their clear, colorful beauty.ย  I pulled down our small recyclables bin, and Maddy and Cora took out a few cups, bowls, cans, and jars to use with their beads.

They wanted to use spoons and try to use chopsticks, which was cool with me.

And then they played.ย  And Iย was reminded of how completely relaxing and totally soothing water beads are.

water bead free play

Another good reason to keep those recyclables—

water bead free play

–you never know when they’ll come in handy!

We just sat, and we chatted. And we squeezed and pinched and squirmed and enjoyed the cool of the beads on our hands.ย  Maddy and Cora sorted–on their own–and they mixed and traded and pretended they were fairies preparing their fairy food and I was the fairy head cook.

Then Owen came home from soccer and he took my spot and they added him to the mix.

We all just sat and chatted, and the kids squeezed and pinched and squirmed and enjoyed the cool of the beads on their hands.ย  They did more sorting and more mixing and more trading and more pretending and just. . . played.

And I listened and just enjoyed where we were, vowing that every so often–more often than not now–to pull out these old faves so that my kids can relax, chat, slow down, and just enjoy where they are.

I love these things.ย  They’re really fun for kids, and you may be surprised at how much you’ll love them yourself:

fyi: Affiliate links are included in this post. If you’re cool with it, use the links and then not only will you end up with some awesome water beads of your very own, but your friend over here at teachmama.com will score a teeny cut of your purchase. (And I mean teeny-tiny-teeny, but it all counts, rights? ) Thank you!

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About amy mascott

teacher, mother, dreamer. lover of literacy, fun learning, good food, and three crazy-cool kids. finder of four-leaf clovers | dc metro ยท http://about.me/amymascott
tweet with me: @teachmama

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Quick! Thereโ€™s still time to see if your area is registered to participate in this yearโ€™s National Civics Bee! #ad

Click the link in my bio to learn more and to grab a TON of free resources for families and educators. 

This yearโ€™s registration deadline is approaching, but you still have time! 

What better way to get students to engage in civics and contribute to their communities? 

https://teachmama.com/bring-the-national-civics-bee-to-your-community/

#CivicsBuzz #strongcommunities #middleschool #civicsbee #teachersofIG
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Have you heard of The National Civics Bee? #ad 

The National Civics Bee is an initiative aimed at encouraging more young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. 

Organized in partnership with The Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the competition in your community will inspire middle schoolers to become better informed about American democracy, to engage respectfully and constructively in the community, and to build greater trust in others and institutions. 

Learn how to bring The National Civics Bee to YOUR community now: https://teachmama.com/bring-the-national-civics-bee-to-your-community/

Iโ€™m thrilled to have partnered with @mom_select and @civicsbuzz for this exciting campaign! โ™ฅ๏ธ๐Ÿค๐Ÿ’™

#CivicsBuzz #middleschoolers #teachersofIG #communitypartners
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Oh HEEEEEYYY, @luvvie โ€” did you see that @littletroublemaker made our hallway bulletin board? ๐Ÿ˜‰โ™ฅ๏ธ

(Itโ€™s what Rusty the ๐ŸฆŠ is currently reading.) 

Find it at your favorite bookstore or order here: https://amzn.to/3Pu3tWs

(This is my affiliate link, so when you use it, I will earn a small percentage of the sale, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for using my link and supporting my small business!)

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How can people with dyslexia learn to read? ๐Ÿค”

Here are the 3๏ธโƒฃ elements that reading instruction should contain in order to be most effective for students with dyslexiaโ€”

#demystifyingdyslexia #raiseareader #readingteacher #teachreading #dyslexiaawareness
View
Open
Lately when I find four leaf clovers, Iโ€™ve been leaving them. ๐Ÿ€๐Ÿคท๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ

So if youโ€™re in Maryland, and you happen upon a lonely, little 4-leafer with very little grass, weeds, or leaves around it, I donโ€™t know WHO tried to set you up for success.

#yougotthis #keepyoureyesopen #itsthelittlethings #kilpattyluck
View
Open
Okayโ€”how do we know if someone has dyslexia? 

Which professionas are able to make that important determination? 

โ–ถ๏ธ Watch to find out. 

Hit me with the questions you still have about dyslexiaโ€”and know we have a few more posts to go!

#demystifyingdyslexia #raiseareader #teachreading #readingteachersofig
View
Open
What are some of the common signs of dyslexia?

Watch to learn and find out!

#demystifyingdyslexia #readingteacher #raiseareader #teachreading #dyslexia
View
Open
True โœ… or false โŒ?

#demystifyingdyslexia #dyslexiaeducation #readingteacher #raiseareader #teachreading
View
Open
What do you know about dyslexia? 

What questions do you have about dyslexia? 

For the next few weeks leading up to my own start to the school year I am sharing a new series called โ€œDe-Mystifying Dyslexiaโ€ and I would love for you to join me! 

Follow in my stories or on the highlight above!

#dyslexia #teading  #readingteacher #raiseareader #demystifyingdyslexia

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