There’s a scene in Trolls Band Together where Poppy and Branch visit Vacay Island. Water around the island is represented by what looks like mounds of undulating, sparkling water beads. They are so enchanting, of course you want to dive into the glittering, soothing, squishy marbles. Then you remember that, in real life, those water beads would be covered in sand and feel more like gritty snot than a refreshing spa sensation. I am personally grossed out by water beads—the tiny pellets of super absorbent polymer that swell into squishy balls when soaked in liquid—after a bad experience with scooping a spilled bin of sloshy orbs off the driveway.
You don’t need a reason to ban an irritating toy from your household, but there are actual health and safety reasons to skip the water beads when shopping for your child’s sensory play.
Water beads are actually dangerous
The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has warned parents to keep water beads out of any environment with a child 3 years old or younger. The commission reports that water beads have caused emergency room visits (thousands per year), serious injury requiring surgery, and death.
Why so serious? The tiny colorful beads come in bright colors and packaging that make them look exactly like cupcake sprinkles or candy. If swallowed, inhaled, or stuck in any orifice of the body, the beads will slowly swell to hundreds of times their original size, causing intestinal obstruction, airway obstruction, or ear damage. Water beads are not always visible on X-ray or examination, so a child could suffer serious injury without doctors detecting the cause.
The CPSC gives these tips for water bead safety:
Never let children play with water beads unsupervised.
If you do have them in your home, store them in a secure container and location where young children cannot access them.
Because water beads can easily scatter, roll, and become lost in the home, the only way to mitigate the hazard is to remove them from the home.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, these are signs that a child has swallowed water beads:
Not eating
Lethargy
Drooling
Vomiting
Wheezing
Complaints that something is stuck in the throat or chest
Abdominal pain
Constipation
Abdominal swelling and soreness.
Because dehydrated water beads can be lost in the cracks of floor boards, in carpet, or among toys, children could encounter and ingest them even if they haven’t been played with lately.
A final concern: Though water beads are often labeled “non-toxic,” Consumer Reports has declared that labeling “meaningless.” They tested 14 brands of water beads and found two of them released concerning levels of acrylamide.
Better options for sensory play
Sensory stimulation through play is important for kids (and adults), but there are safer alternatives to water beads. Try these options for sensory play instead (some of them are even less messy):
Putty (like Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty)
A mud kitchen outside
Colored shaving cream in the bathtub
Shredded paper
Birdseed (make your own if allergies are a concern)
A DIY multi-section sensory bin
Small toys or nature items frozen in ice cubes
Jell-O
Melon balls
Cooked pasta (with a little oil to keep it from sticking)
Remember, sensory play is any activity that engages a child’s senses. We’ve focused on activities that require manipulating items of different textures, sizes, and temperatures with their hands or other tools. Sensory play can also include activities like listening to music, watching a sunset, following a line of ants across the yard, or sniffing foods and spices.
