Those of you who have been following the blog for a long time know that we don't use water beads in our sensory play.  This last week was the first time we had water beads on the blog - when we posted about our Giant Halloween Eyeballs Sensory Play.  If you've ever wondered why we don't use the traditional manufactured water beads in our sensory play, it's mainly because we have a substitute that we like better.   Our "mini water beads" are inexpensive, not chokable (they are small enough to not present a hazard), they take just a few minutes to set up, and they are totally edible.  They are much smaller than manufactured water beads, so we call them mini water beads, but they behave incredibly similarly to the manufactured water beads.  I love that they are such a safe and edible alternative - with both cats and a little one, it's nice to not have to worry about anyone accidentally ingesting something dangerous (I'm a worrier).  :)  Not to mention, our safe edible mini water beads are gorgeous, right?

To set them up, I soak them in whatever colored water I want the mini water beads to be.  This step takes less than five minutes.

Then I dump them into whatever bin we're using and ooh and aah over the gorgeous colors.  They look a little like tiny gems to me.  They natural stick together a bit, so once we're ready to play, I add a small amount of water.

And then S dives in and mixes them up.  For the record, this is one of my favorite photos ever.  :)

As the colors mix and swirl, it's quite the show.

S usually plays with these, but we thought we'd set them up on the floor and let X have a go.  This was several months ago - I think he's a little over a year old here.  He loooovved them.

As you can see, they're very small.  But they do have a very similar texture to manufactured water beads, as they are also made of a gel that holds water.

They're really soft and they like to stick together a bit, so they move as a wave when you swish them (I couldn't get any good action shots of that, so you'll just have to trust me on that one).

Now, as I mentioned, this was X's first experience with them.  He naturally wanted to climb right in.  Naturally.

And I'm glad he did because we discovered something we wouldn't have otherwise - our mini water beads stick to clothes.  Like reallllllly stick.  S generally just plays with her hands and arms - and we have no issues.  But hoo boy do these beads stick to clothing.  And towels.  You can pick them off for sure, but it's a pain.  So I would recommend either not letting your kiddos climb in or having them play sans clothing to save yourself a headache. 

They even make pretty art!  It's so fun to swirl and mix them.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

Now to teach you how to make your own!  Again, let me clarify once more that they will stick to clothes and towels; please keep that in mind when deciding where and how to play with them.

1 Tbsp of this Basil Seed 

(**I've been hearing that some of the basil seeds on Amazon are not working - I think they may have been stored incorrectly by the seller.  Here's an alternative non-Amazon listing for the seeds)

1 and 1/4 cup water

Food Coloring or Liquid Watercolors (use food coloring if you think your child may taste these)

Add the coloring to the water, if desired.  Soak 1 Tablespoon of the basil seeds, stirring occasionally.  Within about 5 minutes, they will have absorbed all the water.  When you are ready to play with them, add a little extra water to your container to allow them to move a bit more fluidly (otherwise they tend to stick to each other and hands).

The Basil Seeds we used are even cheaper if you buy them at an Asian specialty food market.  At our local Asian specialty food market a whole bag (which is SO many Tablespoons of seeds) was a little over a dollar.  I learned about the properties of basil and chia seeds in graduate school (botany is COOL!).  The gel that forms is a way for the seed to gather and store water as it sprouts.  Clever of the seed, right?  These seeds are also used in drinks (think along the lines of bubble tea) in other countries.  In the US they are gaining popularity as a health/energy drink because they are high in nutrients.

Where do you find Basil Seeds:

The best place to find basil seeds is in an Asian or International Specialty Food Store:  Our local Asian Specialty stores all carry bags for $1 and they are in the spices section
Here is a listing on US Amazon

Here is a listing on Amazon CA

Here is a listing on Amazon UK

Here is a listing for Australia

The above links are by no means exhaustive - feel free to Google around yourself.  Any online spice specialty store is likely to carry these!  :)

If you wish to substitute chia seeds for basil seeds, follow the modified recipe below:

1 Tbsp of chia seeds

1 cup of water (with added food coloring if you want)

Allow the mixed seeds to sit overnight (or at least 8 hours) in the colored water in your refrigerator for best results.

There are so many fun ways to play with our safe and edible mini water beads!  I'll be sharing several of them in the next week or two.  Oh, and if you're looking for a larger edible version of water beads, check out Blog Me Mom's Edible "Water" Beads here!

Find out how to make Edible GLOWING Mini Water Beads here!

Find out how we use the ingredient in our Water Beads to make All Natural Edible Slime here!

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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.