I was talking to my friend Emily again the other night (after we'd made our blue Edible Glowing Oobleck) and she convinced me to see what other safe and edible things I could find that glowed. Though tonic water glows, it's very smelly if concentrated, and I have not been able to find any tonic water that doesn't have a ton of high fructose corn syrup. So tonic water, while a safe glow water, had its limitations: a smelly sticky bath just wouldn't work for us. I wondered if there were any alternatives to tonic water to create a safe glowing water for kids to play with (or if I could even find a glow water that would be safe to add to a bath)!
A little Googling found me this list of things that fluoresce. Some more Googling led me to believe that I wanted a B vitamin high in Thiamine if I wanted a really great glow with a blacklight.
So off we went to the store to see what we could find.
We found just the perfect vitamin, and brought it home. To make our safe glow water we combined:
Two of this vitamin
, crushed <---- CLICK for the vitamin details
, crushed <---- CLICK for the vitamin details
(Each brand calls it something different - to be sure you are getting the correct vitamin (not all glow brightly), either buy this one via Amazon or write down all the ingredients and amounts and find a B vitamin whose ingredients match these at the store)
Warm water
Using a kitchen mallet and ziploc bag, S helped me pound the vitamin into powder and we added it to a glass of warm water and she stirred. Once it was pretty dissolved, we added the cup of vitamin water to a tub of regular water and swished it around. Now just to be totally clear, though this is edible, it's not intended for kids to just drink down by the cup full. The vitamins are adult strength. They are super diluted of course, but please don't serve your child a cup of glowing bath water. :) It is, however, not a problem if they accidentally splash some in their face or mouth, or get a stray mouthful or two. For those of you with concerns about absorption (There is no research indicating that this amount of dilute vitamins could/would be dangerous in any way and my pediatrician's office confirms that this amount is too dilute to absorb through the skin), you can dramatically reduce the amount of vitamin per several gallons of water and still have a great glow. For reference, this is about the amount in an energy drink. If you have concerns about the use of a blacklight, I again encourage you to contact your pediatrician. As with all play materials/activities, the decision is yours. :)
I originally intended for the kids to play in a big bin of water, but couldn't find one that would fit in the tub while they were there. And the brilliant thing about this is that it is super safe. It's not sticky. It's just perfect for a glowing bath. So that's what we did!
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.
Though our bath glowed brightly with just one crushed vitamin, it was even brighter with two, so that's what we ended up doing. I did a bunch of digging on Amazon and found this vitamin (UK link to the vitamin) (Aussie link to the vitamin) whose composition exactly matches our store-bought vitamin (and if you make your baths the same way, it will cost you on average just pennies a bath - cool!). If you want this very vibrant glow I'd recommend either buying the one I linked to or jotting down the quantities (there's a photo in the Amazon store that lists all the information) for when you go to the store, as I suspect the results vary a lot depending on the vitamin's composition. Ours was Kroeger Brand, if that helps anyone. You will also need a Blacklight, as this is a fluorescing reaction - not a glow in the dark (like a glow-in-the-dark paint might be).**
(UK link to the vitamin) (Aussie link to the vitamin) whose composition exactly matches our store-bought vitamin (and if you make your baths the same way, it will cost you on average just pennies a bath - cool!). If you want this very vibrant glow I'd recommend either buying the one I linked to or jotting down the quantities (there's a photo in the Amazon store that lists all the information) for when you go to the store, as I suspect the results vary a lot depending on the vitamin's composition. Ours was Kroeger Brand, if that helps anyone. You will also need a Blacklight, as this is a fluorescing reaction - not a glow in the dark (like a glow-in-the-dark paint might be).**
**Please use caution with a plugged in blacklight and water, as you would with any plugged in device and water - use with a GFI outlet - standard to all bathrooms built to code**
Rather than make a fancy bath (I just am not that creative!), we just collected several items we already had that fluoresced (it was a fun scavenger hunt!) and added them all to the bath:
White Dollar Tree Funnels
Boon Bath Shapes
X was again totally fascinated - they both loved it so much!
For more glowing fun, check out our other posts that glow:
.jpg "Finally a recipe for glow water that is safe -- even edible! It's super easy to make (no staining!) and is affordable to boot! Safe for even the littlest explorers. From Fun at Home with Kids")
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All activities here are activities I feel are safe for my own children. As your child's parents/guardians, you will need to decide what you feel is safe for your family. I always encourage contacting your child's pediatrician for guidance if you are not sure about the safety/age appropriateness of an activity. All activities on this blog are intended to be performed with adult supervision. Appropriate and reasonable caution should be used when activities call for the use of materials that could potentially be harmful, such as scissors, or items that could present a choking risk (small items), or a drowning risk (water activities), and with introducing a new food/ingredient to a child (allergies). Observe caution and safety at all times. The author and blog disclaim liability for any damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from engaging in any of these activities on this blog.
My kids are going to love this! Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteAwesome, Onecheaputahchick! It's SO crazy fun!!!
DeleteVitamin B is a water soluble vitamin, which means even if the kids did absorb it through their skin, ( i honestly don't know if it can or not) their body would excrete the excess through their urine, so it should be safe.
DeleteMake sure you are plugged into a GFI recepticle!!!! (ground fault) You don't want to have a accident.
DeleteAbsolutely!
DeleteHow many vitamins do you have to use???
DeleteBetween 1-4 will give you a good glow, depending on how much water you put in your tub. We used 2 for the photos. :)
DeleteI'm confused, do you have to have a black light in the bathroom for it to glow? I'm assuming it's just bright yellow otherwise.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a fluorescent reaction, like with our glowing oobleck - and you will need a black light. It's kind of an orange color in normal light. :)
Deleteyou can actually just buy a black light bulb at home depot and srew it into outlet in your bathroom and use that ---that way there is no chance of electrocution-i can put it into one of my bulbs that go around my mirror---unscrew other ones so they aren't glowing
DeleteI think it will depend on how far your tub is from the light bulb - sometimes those are so weak that the blacklight light won't reach the tub. As long as your bathroom was built to code (legally), it will have GFI outlets that prevent electrocution. But for sure that would be a great option if your bathroom light is close enough to the tub for the light to reach it! :)
DeleteWhere exactly was your black light? We have a recessed can light right above our tub.
DeleteTo my knowledge, no one has tried one right above their tub - that just might work! I would keep your receipt, just in case, but I think it's worth trying. If it works, would you be willing to come back here and let us know?
DeleteLooks a LOT of fun!
ReplyDeleteVit B is water soluble so there should not be any risk with kids drinking it. It's the fat soluble vitamins (D,E,K,A) that can accumulate in the body and cause toxicity as far as I know.
It totally is! SO bright! Oh, and great to know, Monika!!!!
DeleteSo the vit is Vit B any certain strength?
DeleteThe link to the percentages of each type of B vitamin is in the post - so be sure to get that one or one as close to that as possible, because many B vitamins glow much more faintly. The concentration in the photo is two vitamins per the whole tub of water, but you could get away probably as little as a half of a vitamin per tub, the glow would just be less concentrated. I hope that helps!
DeleteTonic water works too.
DeleteIt does, but as I mention in the post, we didn't like the smell or the stickiness of tonic water. :)
DeleteI think this is my new favorite Fun at Home with Kids post! WOW!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rachael! I hope you try it with your girls because it's crazy fun!!!! :)
DeleteHow Awesome.
DeleteMy Girls are always asking to swim in the Tub when the Public Pool closes for the day. Now they have this after hours. I'm so excited I just might get in with them !!!!! Thank You :)
Hope you have all have fun!!! Thank you for the kind comment. :)
DeleteThis is great! I can't do the "highlighter" version of glowing baths because my ds is super allergic to dyes. He is allergic to vitamins too, but only if he eats them. He is old enough not to drink the water though, so this should work.
ReplyDeleteHow do you mount the blacklight so that it doesn't fall into the bath?
Hi Levi's Mommy! Oh poor bubba! That sounds really rough. I actually just held the blacklight because it was easiest, but there were little holes in the back and screws if we wanted to mount it more permanently.
DeleteBlacklights just need to be in the area to illuminate fluorescence. You can get a 24 inch light at Walmart for around $15 and just sit it on your counter, facing the bath and it should light the same. If you have a light in your bath, you can also swap the bulbs with a blacklight bulb and leave the cover off, though less powerful.
DeleteOur light is over our sink, not over our tub. I was wondering if just a blacklight bulb would work.
DeleteTotally not sure on that one Michelle...? Maybe?
Deletetried to do this with just a blacklight bulb and couldn't get any fluorescent action....
DeleteBummer, Anonymous! I bet the bulb doesn't have as great of a reach as the tube lights. Well, Michelle - it looks like you'll need a tube light.
DeleteWorking with black lights it depends on how far away the bulb is from the luminescent object and the wattage of the bulb affects it as well, kind of how a 100w fluorescent bulb is brighter than a 60w.
DeleteOh, good to know! Thank you!!!
DeleteA blacklight or 2 directly above (ceiling mounted) that are battery operated could be an awesome alt to the dangerous plugin versions, if you are worried about the blacklight mounts not working or being too weak you can get a safety net or a stuffed animal corner net (2 of those would work fine) and mount those above the bath just below the lights so you dont need to worry about that either, just remember to make sure you keep a clsoe eye on your kiddos so they dont think the net is a gymnasium or other climbing toy :D!!!
DeleteThank goodness ... I know nothing about 'black lights' but do know that in the UK we are unable to plug ANYTHING in in our bathrooms as we are not allowed to have a light switch or a socket in there save for the shaver. I was hoping that there was a battery version ... as my grandchildren back there in the UK will love this !! (Along with their mum!!! )
DeleteYou can purchase a black light flashlight. They sometimes use this in food inspections to see if there is evidence of rodents in warehouses (urine fluoresces)
DeleteMake sure your light is battery operated or secured to the wall. Little ones could get electrocuted.Only takes a second. I think I'll pass this on to my friends. The kids would love it.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Maggie Creech! A great reminder to be super safe! And thanks for passing it on! :)
DeleteWho would have thought? Learn something new every day. Thanks for sharing! What fun!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debs! It is pretty crazy!!!
DeleteCould you bathe the kids normally in this? Could they still get cleaned up and their hair washed or would they have to be rinsed off or given a regular bath afterwards?
ReplyDeleteHmm, I don't know that I would, but theoretically you could. The vitamin isn't sticky or anything, but it does have a slight vitamin smell. We just drained the tub and rinsed the kids with a little water. I didn't seriously scrub them or anything and they were fine (and didn't smell funny, LOL).
Deleteand if you don't rinse, they will be easy to find in the dark, with a black light flashlight! :)
DeleteHahahahaha!
DeleteWhile the effects of the Vitamin and water have been scrutinized for possible dangers, I see that black light has not been considered, which is quite dangerous and exposure for half an hour is considered bad for eyes and skin. Have a look here for more information.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ehow.com/about_5566929_black-lights-dangerous.html
http://www.tsbvi.edu/seehear/fall99/ultraviolet.htm
http://www.cclvi.org/contributions/effects1.htm
Hi Anonymous! I did research blacklight safety and couldn't find anything that stated that a short amount of exposure would cause any harm:
Deletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blacklight#Safety
I agree, though, you wouldn't want your kiddos to sit in a room with a blacklight for hours every single day. Ultimately, as with exposure to anything - a tub full of water, sunlight, etc, the choices are up to the parents.
Leave it to someone to ruin the fun. Its not like our kids will be in a tanning booth! And not for long
DeleteI actually thought the same thing. It seems like a lot of research went into the vitamin exposure, but the whole time I was reading I was thinking, "But you're using a black light!" It's not the worst thing ever, but it can be damaging.
DeleteI think the idea is pretty cool though.
If you're concerned, iloveapiano, I suggest bringing it up to your pediatrician. Blacklights have a weak UV output. Also, as I'd say with any of our activities - different people have different ideas of what is acceptable for their kids - so feel free to pass on any/all activities that make you uncomfortable! :)
DeleteActually, I'm glad that people like the original Anonymous poster and iloveapiano had the sense to comment on the possible negative effects of using a black light because I had not considered the dangers of exposure.
DeleteThe proper thing to do when you are making an "activities for children" blog such as this is to list all the possible dangers (whether you personally feel they are insignificant or not) and let parents decide for themselves what is appropriate for their child. Instead of, you know, basically telling someone that their concern is invalid and "well you don't have to participate if you don't want to".
I'm so sorry you feel such anger toward me, Anonymous! I am not trying to deceive anyone at all. As I stated in the post and in my disclaimer, I suggest parents discuss any and all activities with their pediatrician. I discussed with mine and they said there were no issues - your pediatrician may say the same thing, or they may have a different opinion. Life is full of risk - in fact, placing a child in water is a HUGE drowning risk. Playing with any item larger than a sesame seed is a choking risk, playing with a food or chemical ingredient can cause an allergic reaction. I am not trying to be rude by saying you don't have to participated if you don't want to - merely stating a fact. Some parents do not feel comfortable exposing their children to food coloring in play, some do. Every activity has risk and every activity is bound to have one ingredient or item that could be something that parent is choosing to avoid with their child. It is not my place to say whether or not food coloring, wheat, corn, pom poms, water, or blacklights are safe or not. All I can offer is what my research (including speaking with my childrens' doctor) has shown. It truly is up to each individual to make the choices for their child and their family. If I listed every potential danger of every activity it would be too time consuming. Thus the blanket disclaimer you will find that applies to every post on this site. I'm sorry that you feel I am not sinking enough of my own personal time into this FREE RESOURCE for you.
DeleteI am a different anonymous than the person above and I say thank you for the idea! Jeez people, take some responsibility for your self. Everyone is out to critique some one else without contributing anything useful. Have a brain.
DeleteThank you! :)
DeleteI am "another" different anonymous person that finds it both funny and disgusting to read the above comments from the anonymous persons and the ilovepiano person!!! I do recall reading in the first few lines of your blog about checking everything out with your child's own pediatrician or to do further follow-up online if you had any other concerns regarding the use of this product, the amounts to use, and the use of a black light. Maybe "people" should READ the whole post/idea before they start to bash it. "PEOPLE WITH CLOSED MINDS HAVE OPEN MOUTHS!!!!!!"
DeleteOk, this is the third time I am going to try and comment on your anonymous critics. I have posted twice already and apparently my comments aren't appreciated because they are not being posted, which in my opinion is ridiculous because they felt it was appreciated and appropriate to post the "anonymous" comments from two separate people, which has really sent me through the roof but as they say, those with closed mind have open mouth.....if that helps you at all. Just as the last anonymous poster had mentioned, if you are concerned about "YOUR" child taking part in this type of activity, then I would think that "YOU", being the child's PARENT would want to take the time and look up the information that you so graciously had posted...so, I am not really understanding what their point is in all of this? Maybe someone else can explain to me?? Yes, just so its out there, I do have a child and if there were something that I would love to have my child participate in, but I knew that there may be a small risk in participating in this, being the child's parent I would take it upon myself to look into every website available until I was certain that it would be safe for MY child!!!! (WitchySissy)
DeleteHi WitchySissy! The site gets so many spam comments every comment is held in review for approval before it appears. I usually go through once or twice a day and approve all the actual comments. I wasn't trying to keep yours from appearing, I promise! Just if there weren't a filter there would be loads of weightloss links and the like appearing here to muddle through. Thank you for your support - and I agree with you! :)
DeleteI think this is great! To each their own but come on people a fun activity you will probably do once is not going to harm your children by using a black light. We grew up around them. Protect your kids yes,but don't smother the poor things. I can see these kids running around bubble wrapped,but then again watch out they could suffocate. Yes be cautious of the light it could fall in but your exposure is not a everyday occurance your child will not come out with a tan or skin cancer.
DeleteThank you Asia for posting this fun activity....I am a full time working mom and am always looking for fun activities to do on the weekend with my little one....She is going to love this....I agree with many of your supporters that it is the parent's responsibility to research any activity they do with their child....It is NOT your responsibility to research everything or even respond to these comments...Thanks for taking the time to do so.....Many parents appreciate the time you have put into this website not only listing the activity but placing pictures to help us "visual" learners....Keep posting fun activities!...Thank you, Michelle :)
DeleteThank you so much for taking the time to leave such a sweet comment, Michelle! It is so appreciated!!! :) :) :)
DeleteI agree, we all need to weigh the risks of activities we do with our own children. That being said, thank you for taking so much time to research the vitamin aspect of this activity. I wouldn't have considered it without knowing that it was safe, and it probably would've taken hours to find out what the risk really was. So thank you for taking the time to do that
DeleteThank you, Tabatha! :)
DeleteIn regards to black light exposure: I would consult an eye doctor, not a pediatrician. The bigger concern for me is eye exposure, not simply skin exposure.
DeleteI'm late to the party. Jeez people, she covered all the bases & even if she didn't, you should have enough sense to decide for yourself. Saying that, I realize that most of you were born in the 80s & 90s & some of you can't help yourselves. For those who were teenagers in the 60s & 70s, we had blacklight posters in our rooms that we lit up for hours. The exposure of a few baths with bulbs made with current standards is NOT a big deal, but as she & others have stated, do your own due diligence or use common sense & make your own mind up. No one's forcing anyone. Tricia
DeleteWOW! This is amazing!! LOVE it. I have a blacklight fluro on order at the moment...I wish it would hurry up and arrive so we can try this at home!
ReplyDeleteLouise x
Thanks, Paging Fun Mums! I bet you all will have so much fun with your blacklight!!! :)
DeleteThank you so much for the idea my 3 kids had a blast the black light was fine their still healthy and doing great keep sharing you newest ideas i live them
DeleteOh I'm so glad to hear they had a great time!!!! :) Thank you!
DeleteThis is so cool!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anne! It's so out of this world in person! Science is cool. :)
DeleteSo cool! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Louanne! :) :) :)
DeleteOh, shoot. I just bought two black light bulbs....
ReplyDeleteThe water beads are reusable, correct?
Yep they are reusable! Just dry them in open air so they don't grow mold and you'll be fine! :)
DeleteDoes the B vitamin have to be a complex or can it be straight up B1 (thiamine)? My daughter loves oobleck so wanted to try the glowing kind with her. Also, do tonic water and the vitamin water glow different colors? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Anne! All the B vitamins will glow to different extents (and different colors - some are more yellow and others are more blue/white). I didn't want to spend the money to investigate with each individual vitamin - so my recommendation is if you want the bright glow we have here, make sure to find a vitamin with the same composition as ours. Otherwise you can experiment a bit - but some may not glow very vibrantly. Tonic water is more of a blue/white and the Vitamin Glow Water is a bright yellow/green. Hope that helps! :)
Deletehi. sorry didn't see this particular question above or in your instructions:
ReplyDelete1) did you pound the whole bottle of vitamins at once?
2) how much crushed vitamin did you add to one glass of warm water?
3) did you use only 1 glass of this mix for each bath or more?
thanks. great idea! can't wait to try!
No problem! Always happy to clarify!
Delete1. You could if you wanted to, but I generally do the 1-2 I am using at a time.
2. However much you want to use. I just found it easier to mix it well in a small glass before adding it to the bath. But if you were willing to vigorously stir the bath, you could always add the crushed vitamin directly.
3. I did only use one glass - isn't that nuts? It's REALLY bright. This is just two vitamins total.
You're welcome! I hope you love it!!!
I am so frustrated this didn't work with B-12 like the internet said, I gave up and did a highlighter.
ReplyDeleteI don't link to a B12 vitamin, Amanda - as I mentioned in the post, I can only verify that the exact vitamin we used fluoresces, which is why I recommend either buying that one or copying down the exact quantities and finding that one in a store.
DeleteSorry that B12 didn't work for you - if you follow the link above you can find the correct vitamin that we used.
Does this mix stain fabric? Planning a blacklight glow game and highlighter water stains clothes...wondering if this is a viable alternative?
ReplyDeleteWhile I can't guarantee anything, no we have had no trouble with this staining. It contains no dyes, just natural color - and it's so diluted, it has never even shown up when it gets on clothes/skin/tile. We wash everything right afterwards, just to be safe, but it is NOTHING like highlighter. That stuff stains everything! The glow game sounds awesome!
DeleteI did it and it worked beautifully, unfortunately I couldn't take any photos because they just wouldn't show up on my camera.
ReplyDeleteIt all glowed bright as can be so can't understand it. I'm using a black light bulb (so it's on the ceiling), did you vrig ypurs closer to the water?
It's REALLY hard to get photos on your camera in the dark. The shutterspeed has to be extremely low - and for most regular (not specialty) cameras, you'll need a tripod to get photos with such a low shutterspeed. We do hold our tube blacklight in our hands since we don't have a ceiling mount in place, but I suspect if it was glowing brightly, it's just that your camera was unable to slow the shutterspeed down enough to grab a dark photo.
DeleteLove love love this idea!!
DeleteWould a UV Torch work, or does it need to be a tube backlight?
I am pretty sure a tube blacklight works best, as it covers the largest area. Hope that helps! :)
DeleteThis is such a cool idea! I was just wondering if you know if this works in a pool with chlorine in the water?
ReplyDeleteI am not sure since I've never tried it, but I can't think of a reason why it wouldn't work --- other than a pool has a looooot of water. So you'd need a lot of vitamins. And probably several blacklights to fluoresce that much water. You could always try it with a sample of pool water and a blacklight to make sure that it would still work? If it does, let us know!
Deletewow this sounds so cool i am going to try this for my nephew he will love this
Deletethanks
Wish I would have seen this when my kids were small....such a cool idea!!! They are 13 & 15 now, so don't know if they would want a glowing bath!lol
ReplyDeleteHahaha - well you never know, lol!!!! :)
DeleteMelissa, I saw your comment and had to reply. Hang onto any and all fabulous ideas like this one for the future...grandchildren! It seems like only yesterday my five kids were teenagers - my youngest is 25! :) Time goes so fast! I started a file and kept all kind of craft ideas & activities to do for "that day" & now it's here! You have quite a few years to go...but they still go fast! :)
DeleteI don't remember reading exactly how you did it besides vitamin b. What else goes into this glowing madness? Also another question when ever you play with it, is it like a glob you can pick up and move around or when you touch it it would dissolve in the water. I'm a high school senior with a two almost the year old sister.
ReplyDeleteMake sure you get the correct vitamin (check out the link to all the ingredients in it and find one that matches or buy that one) and then crush it and dissolve it in water. It just feels like regular water, but it will fluoresce (glow) brightly if blacklight light hits it. The long (tube) blacklights will make it glow the most brightly. Hope that helps! :)
DeleteJust an FYI you are making yourself liable for claiming it is safe and even worse edible. If someone has a reaction or drinks their bath water and gets sick you could be in trouble.
ReplyDeleteI have a blanket disclaimer that applies to all activities on this site since everything in life, especially involving kiddos, involves risk. To the best of my knowledge, vitamins that occur in everyday food/life are safe and also edible. I do clarify both of those statements within the post. My point is to differentiate this from highlighter water and paint filled water, which were the previous methods offered as "safe for kids". :)
DeleteDon't be ridiculous! Surely people have the sense to take precautions. She wouldn't be liable for anything.
DeleteThank you!!!! :)
DeleteWhy not just use glow sticks in the water simple and easy?
ReplyDeleteYou can do that too! We like both. :)
DeleteThe stiff inside glow sticks are poisionus. My friend was hospitalized for breaking them and putting them on her skin also taste very bad
Deleteglow sticks are toxic and I do know that your child can bite through them mine did and got it in her mouth and all over in her room ..
DeleteHi, my little one is 21 months, do you think this would be suitable for him, or do you think he's too young? :)
ReplyDeleteHi Katie! Our little guy was around 18 months old and loved it! You can always double check with your pediatrician. :)
DeleteThis is something that this grandma is going to do with her granddaughter to make a super fun activity when she stays with me!!!! Super cool!!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I hope you both love it as much as we do! :) :) :)
DeleteTo all parents on here , YOU ARE YOUR CHILD'S ,/RENS PROTECTOR SO IF YOU FIND SOMETHING WRONG IN WHAT WAS STATED DON'T DO IT ITS THAT EASY...
ReplyDeleteI'M A MOTHER OF EIGHT AND I'M SO DOING THIS... TKS.. FOR ALL THE IDEAS KEEPING COMING....
Thank you!!! :)
DeleteThis is great! Super amazing and fun! My kids are already fish out of water so just adding more fun to the water they already love is amazing! I do think it's ridiculous though she has to warn you about accidently getting electrocuted lol like really ppl come on da! And also when she states don't hand them a cup of glowing water to drink. This us just to play in and for fun if you really where to hand them a cup of it to drink then you shouldn't have kids to began with. I mean really what is this world coming to that she actually has to warn you about these things!
ReplyDeleteThank you, momof2!!! :)
DeleteNowadays, a lot of people grow up and have children having never been around little ones. Many things that were "common sense" because they were well known, aren't so commonly known anymore. Some people have babies and love them but do not have the advantage of wisdom being handed down from one generation to the next.
DeleteWait what is the vitamin called?
ReplyDeleteBeth, I've seen it called five different things - so the best way to get the correct one is to write down all the amounts of B vitamins in the link above - or to buy the one in the Amazon listing it links to. It's a common enough vitamin that you should be able to buy it at the store if you want to - but every brand of vitamin has a different name for it. Best to rely on the ingredient list vs. the name. Hope that makes sense!
DeleteMy daughter is almost two and absolutely loves the "tub tub". We have a very large two person tub so I bet it will take a few more tablets. LOL! We are going to save up and buy a new backlight and try this out as soon as we can! My daughter is going to go crazy when she sees it! I am going to start looking for backlight reactive toys to play with in there. Thank you for this awesome idea!
ReplyDeleteOh I hope she loves it! We were surprised at how many of our toys were blacklight reactive - try out anything white or neon colored that you own - you may already have some! :) :)
DeleteJust get a black light bulb and screw it into your light socket in the bathroom.
DeleteIt depends on the location of your bathroom light - sometimes the light from the screw-in bulbs has a hard time reaching the bath water if the light is located on the opposite side of the room.
DeleteHow long does the glowing last? There's all kinds of neat applications one could use this for, to make things, but the glow has to last. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, lots of fun to be had with it for sure! It lasts indefinitely, so far as we can tell. You have to have the blacklight on it, of course, but the vitamin doesn't break down or anything. It may settle a bit over time - that's the worst of it!
DeleteTonic Water without HFCS at Whole Foods Market. Q Tonic & Fever Tree. Probably just has the regular sugar though.
ReplyDeleteYep - regular sugar. Still VERY sticky...and kind of stinky. We have used it in a few play recipes to make a different color glow, but I wouldn't plunk my kids in it. :)
DeleteCan you make bubblebaths with this? Do the bubbles glow?
ReplyDeleteYes - but you might want to mix a crushed vitamin into the bubblebath soap before you add it to make sure the bubbles glow brightly.
DeleteHi. I'm just wondering if I could change the color by adding a little bit of food dye.
ReplyDeleteOh, I can't remember the exact details of this but we did try and it only kiiiind of worked. We added food coloring and it made it other weird colors, and mostly just made the glow less bright. If you figure out a good combo - let us know! :)
Deletejust a thought you said its made with a vitamin. since its in water I'm wondering if the vitamin is soaked into the skin if a vitamin overdose can occur? I'd ask a dr. about this .
ReplyDeleteAs I stated above, no that's not possible. I have spoken with several doctors about this, and you are welcome to ask yours and hear the same thing. For something like that to be absorbed, it would need to be hyperconcentrated - like a very thick paste.
DeleteGeeze people she was just putting this out there as a potentially FUN thing to do with your children if you dont like the idea THEN DONT DO IT!!!! Dont get pissed off at someone simply for trying to make bath time a little more enjoyable!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you!!! :)
DeleteWould this work in a hot tub?
ReplyDeleteI think it would so long as you could get good coverage with blacklighting!
Deletei can understand being over protective... but lets be serious... you cant look for EVERY little flaw in everything thats fun.... there is a risk in EVERYTHING and i mean EVERYTHING... put your kid in a bubble and there is STILL a risk.. its a fun activity... the black light will not damage your child unless you stick them in a room with 30 of them and let them sit there.. i LOVE this activity and will be trying it!!! i am GREATFUL that whoever posted it, took the time out of their day to share this with us regular parents that look for fun activities for our kids ... if i dont hear the words gun, knife, or poison... then its worth a try... thank you for the activity... the kids will LOVE this.. i wasnt too fond of the highlighter version of the bath but this is definitely something i will try!!!! thank you soo much for taking the time and explaining how this works.. and i love the research you did as well.. because any questions i may have had were all answered through your links!! if your seriously worried about 1 vitamin in a tub full of water.. or a black light being on for 15 minutes.. then dont try the bath... it really is that simple.. again i love this idea!! and will be trying it soon!! thanks again for your post!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind comment!!! I really appreciate it! :)
DeleteWhen I used the link provided to look up the vitamin, it sent me to Vitamin B-50 Complex. Is this right.? I got the same one when I used the site for the UK also. It gave me the ingredients., but it also was for capsules not tablets. Which is much easier, but confusing, since you used tablets and did not mention complex or B-50.
ReplyDeleteFor that brand, yes, B50 is correct. The one we bought in our local store is called B Complex, and I've also seen it called Super B and a few other things. For some reason the name varies with the brand. It doesn't matter whether it comes in tablets or capsules in terms of working - so long as you have a hammer or mallet, you can break up the tablets very quickly. I don't mean to be confusing - it's just that if you buy another brand's B50, it might not have the correct ingredients. All the links are to vitamins with identical ingredient amounts.
DeleteI didn't read all of the comments to know if someone already addressed the B12 not working. It won't work. The only B vitamin that you need is B2, or more commonly called Riboflavin. The problem is that it is hard to find by itself, so you have to find a B vitamin complex that has it.
ReplyDeleteThat makes sense!
DeleteI was just coming here to make a similar recommendation, B-2 is the stuff that actually fluoresces, they even use it in some industries to check systems for leaks! You can get straight up B-2 on Amazon just like the Complex you linked in the article, same price, but it's strictly B-2 and one capsule will make an entire bath SUPER bright. Pharmacies will carry it but not stock it, so if you would rather do it that way, hit up your local Walgreens or whoever. It's actually pretty easy to get, as long as you don't expect to pick it up in person at a store. :)
DeleteMy 16 year old has nothing but black lights in his room. Both on his ceiling fan (5 of them) and 3 bars mounted to his walls. He has had them for 3 years.
ReplyDeleteHe has had NO NEGATIVE outcome from them. No depression, no cancer, no skin issues, no brain malfunctions (other than being a teenager).
So, on that note, I don't think a 20-30 min bath, say even once a week with black lights is going to cause harm.
Parents today don't allow kids to have a life and try to protect them from even their shadows. All that is being accomplished is there is a society of stressed out, uptight, spoiled kids with no common sense, and no street smarts being raised.
Let loose. Let kids live on the edge a little. A little black light and a glow bath never killed anyone!
I Love this idea and thank you for the Share .. As has been said above this is a experiment that Asia Citro did , if you think of any concerning issues then I suggest that you be a responsible parent and research your issues or talk to your family doc. you do what you need to do to make sure your own child is safe with any experiment. I Appreciate the time and effort that went into this post and if I can think of any serious issues I will research for my own piece of mind .. Thank you again for this great Idea ... Love it :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Lorie!
Deletewalmarts spring valley brand also contains all same ingredients !!! and is only about
ReplyDelete$4
Awesome!!!
DeleteDid this work? I'll be trying this brand for baby boy's birthday this weekend!
DeleteThere are battery operated blacklights, too. This would be great for the summer day camp kids (well, we wouldn't bathe them... but they could play in the water...)
ReplyDeleteTerrific and fun idea! Thanks!!
Thank you, Ami!
DeleteI'm not sure if anyone else has mentioned this, but vitamin B is a water-soluble vitamin (as opposed to vitamins A, D, E, and K which are fat-soluble) so it's totally safe. Even though it's "adult" strength, any excess vitamin B in the body is flushed out through the urine and is not stored like fat-soluble vitamins. It's practically impossible to get a toxic dose of vitamin B. If you're still concerned, by all means, contact your pediatrician. I'm not a doctor - I'm only a college student studying health information (I've take anatomy and physiology and pathophysiology), I have a cat who has IBD with a vitamin B malabsorption issue (so I'm pretty familiar with how vitamin B works in the body) and prior to becoming a student I was a vet tech for several years. I'm no expert, but I do know a thing or two :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for weighing in, Stephanie!!! It's very appreciated!
DeleteOh, thank you. I just asked whether was safe to have absorbed through the skin and then came across your post!
DeleteThis is awesome!! I have a deaf grandson and he is totally visual, so he is going to love this.. and as far as the black light being safe, I use to have one in my bedroom growing up and sat in it at least 3 hours a night.. almost every night..and Im ok..after more than 50 years :)
ReplyDeleteOh I hope he loves it!!! And thank you! :)
DeleteWould it work with bubbles?
ReplyDeleteYep! Just be sure to add some crushed vitamin to your soap for good measure. :)
DeleteI'm not sure if this has been asked and answered, but do you know about how long the glow lasts?
ReplyDeleteSo far as I know, pretty indefinitely. We had a jar for months and it never broke down to the point where it stopped glowing. Hope that helps!
DeleteSo do you crush all the pills if so how much water do u use to mix the pills or what is the recipe to mix in the tub ? :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, we crushed two vitamins and added them to the amount of water shown in the bathtub above. You'll probably need at least one vitamin for a bathtub full, and you can add more for a brighter glow. It's a flexible recipe. :)
DeleteWhat a fantastic idea nd would love to do but i can find ingrediants can some body please senf them to me
ReplyDeleteIf you are having trouble finding a blacklight and the glowing vitamin, you can click on the links and buy them online.
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI am from South Africa and am battling to find a black light with either a bayonet or screw type fitting, and the tube which I found is only a 60w for almost R1000 which is not quite what I'd like to spend on a globe. What other options do I have?
Hi Melissa!
DeleteOh no, I'm not sure what to suggest. Do you have any family in the states who could ship you something small like a blacklight flashlight? I'm afraid I have no idea where one would look in South Africa. :(
Hi, I seen this edible water post on Facebook and was super excited. Im throwing a neon splash party and I have been wondering how to make the water in the slide glow. Im renting a bounce house/water slide combo and was wondering if you have any creative suggestions for outside water glow?
ReplyDeleteHi Jessie! Hmmmm, I'm not sure how you could do this on a larger scale. I know that there are "Glow Run" races where they manage to make everything glow - but I have no idea what sort of blacklight set up they have to do that. I think your best bet might be to see if you could get a neon bounce house/water slide and to have several blacklights set up, but even then I'm not sure. I wish I had more information for you! Good luck - it sounds super fun!
DeleteI would say, find out how big the tank for the water is and multiply it accordingly. And, being the pixie I am double it.
DeleteI'm wondering if regular fluorescent bulbs would work, I have two on my vanity mirror, it sounds like lots of fun, have boys that love their tubby time ��
ReplyDeleteI have never tried those, but several readers have - and they've never worked out for them. I'd recommend either a blacklight flashlight or the tube blacklights (that's what we used). I think the output from the lightbulbs is so weak it doesn't even reach the water. :/
DeleteWhere can I buy the glow water from please. xx
ReplyDeleteYou can click on the link in the post to buy the correct vitamins. Crush 1-4 and add them to regular water. I hope that helps!
DeleteI was just wondering, if the black light did get splashed would it bust sending shards everywhere like ive seen before with regular lights?
ReplyDeleteNot to my knowledge! Ours has a REALLY thick plastic coating around the bulb.
DeleteI purchased that exact vitamin and it isn't working :(
ReplyDeleteIf you have the right vitamin, then it's the blacklight you're using. Other readers have had lots of trouble with the screw-in lightbulbs - they are SUPER low output, and the blacklight light doesn't reach the tub water. I'd recommend using either a flashlight or a tube light (we use the 2ft long kind and it works great!). Hope that helps!
Deletecan you eat the slime
DeleteWhat slime?
Delete-_-
ReplyDeleteThis looks so fun -- we finally got a black light and I"m excited to give it a go!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this!! I'm a nanny and sometimes find it hard to constantly come up with new awesome things to do... I know the kids would LOVE this!!! I already have done a little research regarding black light exposure etc.. and of course I would ask the parents first... but this would be great!!! I hope they say YES!! :) :) :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you get to try it - it's SO fun!!!!
DeleteYes Tonic water will Fluoresce but the fluorescing ingredient in it named Quinine, if not used properly can cause major illness and even death. Please type in "Quinine" in Wikipedia to learn more. In Tonic water it is very diluted, and that is OK, but avoid using Quinine Powder in your Bath if you have access to it. In Australia it is a banned substance for consumers to by. I hope this information is OK.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. Which is why we don't use tonic water or quinine powder. :)
Deletedo you have to have a black light in order for this to work?
ReplyDeleteyes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes!!!!!!!!!!!
DeleteMy daughter has eczema is this a bad idea because of he condition
ReplyDeleteVitamin B is typically soothing for eczema, but I'd recommend checking with your daughter's pediatrician (or dermatologist) first!
DeleteHey! Something that isn't mentioned is that the bathroom itself has to be darkened for the UVblacklight effect to work. I.e. if you don't have blinds in your bathroom, it's only going to work during wintertime when it's dark outside during bath time! Great idea otherwise.
ReplyDeleteWe used black paper to cover the window, but yes, you're right it does need to be dark to work! :)
DeleteI work professionally with blacklights. Commercially available blacklights are fine. They are very similar to a purple light as far as skin or eye sensitivity. I work all day exposed to these. There is no risk. Look up long wave blacklight. There are dangerous types of uv radiation that you will find in tanning beds or other industrial applications. Most blacklights are a regular fluorescent tube with a violet filter. Awesome idea! Just dont buy from an industrial supplier:) if it costs 300 +dollars it could be dangerous . Buy the 25 or less one and you cant go wrong. The dangerous ones cost a lot.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I agree they are VERY different despite having the same name. I'm glad to have you weigh in! :)
DeleteThat is amazingly clever! What afantastic effect, and so incredibly simple :)
ReplyDeletejust a question - do you think this would work for "glow bubbles"? use a black light and mix some B with the bubbles??
ReplyDeleteYep! There's a recipe for making glowing bubble foam two different ways in our book and that's one of them! :)
DeleteThe flourescent tube blacklights are much better for this application than the light-bulb style. The tube number you want will end in "BLB" (for "black light blue" - that last character is important since it means the bulb has a built-in purple filter to block most of the visible light it creates) You might have to special order the tubes if your bathroom uses a 4 foot fixture (locally, 4 foot blacklight tubes are $42 each, but the more commonly-used white-light tubes are only a couple of dollars apiece)
ReplyDeleteMany types of plastic will block this (invisible to us) color of light. If it can be done safely, a bare tube several feet away will produce brighter results than a plastic covered one that is closer.
If using an older film camera make certain to use a UV filter because film is much more sensitive to blacklight than to visible light. Leaving the filter out will result in a washed-out effect, not the vivid colors we see.
For a battery operated blacklight flashlight, try stores supplying those into rock collecting or watchmakers. The former use it to identify certain types of rocks, the latter use it to harden a special type of glue used on watch lenses.
We just did this and my kids loved it! So easy and I had everything right at home. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletePerfect!
DeleteDid your children actually bathe or did they just play? I'm wondering if soap will change the concentration of the glow.
ReplyDeleteWe do this more for play than for bathing, but soap won't change the glow. I have a recipe for glowing bubbles for a glowing bubble bath in my first book, 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids. :)
DeleteHere is one source about the dangers of black light, even short exposures.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.tsbvi.edu/seehear/fall99/ultraviolet.htm
Has anyone tired to use the color tints for kids in the bath found at walmart?
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool way to enjoy tubby time. Love this idea. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome, I want to try this. But you mention warm water, what happen if I do this with cold water? And how long does it last?
ReplyDeleteIf you crush the vitamin SUPER well, it'll be no problem with cold water. It also lasts basically forever! I mean, as long as you'd want to keep vitamin water stored anyway. :)
DeleteI think the link from Huyked is fairly definitive and states "Many people have said that UV-A and blue light will not harm children if the length of time of exposure is limited, or if frequency of exposure is limited. In Sweden, Dr. E. Chen exposed the retinas of mice to moderate levels of blue light. Two days later, lesions showed up on the rodent's retinas after only 2 minutes of exposure. Similar research was conducted by Drs. Gorels and van Noren. They concluded that the retinal damage done was a feature of the wavelength, not duration or frequency of exposure. This means, that even a short exposure to blue light, without adequate protection, can cause retinal damage.
ReplyDeleteBUT they should be fine if they wear a pair of clear protective glasses that have 100% UV or UV400 protective lenses... Maybe throw that in the article?