Grow Your Own Gel Balls ~ Science for Kids!

  The boys received these in their Christmas stockings.

  So last night, @5:30, we decided to finally put them to the test.

 I printed out a science experiment paper from http://homeschooling.about.com for my oldest to complete.  

They started out like this :

 

We took a small sized mixing bowl and 2 packets of Gel Ball beads. Filled the bowl to the top with water. Then we waited, impatiently might I add. My oldest kept checking the bowl every 15 mins for results of the balls "growing". Within those 15 mins they doubled their size. 30 mins later they were even bigger!

 After 1 hour had past they were slightly smaller than a dime.

Here is my 5 yr old squishing the gell balls around after an hour:

 This morning we checked and they are full size and bigger than marbles. We had to place them in empty gallon ice cream containers we had recyled for storage. Added a little water to keep them squishy for play.

These are a great resource for learning science. However, please be aware you should only let your children handle these under close adult supervision and never alone. Because these gel balls grow in liquid, if a child swallows one it can become lodged in their digestive system and require surgery to remove. It can even be fatal if left undetected. I read an article online about an 8 month old girl who swallowed one of these tiny beads before it expanded and luckily they were able to find it and remove it with surgery to save her life.

So if you use these follow all the precautions for your children(s) safety and don't forget your pets safety if you have them, too!!