Tapioca Sensory Play | Bright Beginnings Preschool

Tapioca Water Bead Sensory Play

We just want to play with these beauties all day long! Really, we couldn’t keep our hands off of them- isn’t it a good thing we teach pre schoolers? Just one of the many things we love about our job. But now you too can rock this activity and be the coolest mom, aunt or Grandma ever! You’re welcome!

Here’s the scoop about the benefits and the how to essentials:

We buy our sensory water beads at the local Asian Grocery Store. They are called Tapioca Pearls and come in bags of multi colored, white or black. Traditionally they are used for the yummy Boba green tea that has caught on like wildfire especially in California. They are actually large tapioca balls which when boiled for between 5-15 minutes depending upon the package instructions will soften and feel super slimy, soft and squishy.

Ingredients

1 bag large Tapioca Pearls 8 oz. (any color you wish)
Zip lock baggies with slide lock so little ones can’t accidentally open
Food coloring (optional)

Directions

Fill medium size pot with 6-8 C. water and bring to boil.
Add bag of Tapioca Beads and cook according to directions for 15-20 minutes depending upon the consistency you desire. Stir occasionally.
Drain in colander and rinse with cold water to stop cooking process.
Let dry slightly.

For Babies and Toddlers

Place ¼ C tapioca pearls in zip lock baggie and add food coloring if desired.
Zip baggie and squish to coat beads with color.
Continue to color beads as desired.

Kiddos can play with baggies of beads with supervision of course. Since we used food coloring, we wouldn’t want babies or toddlers to actually touch the beads and since they put everything in their mouths, let’s stay safe and just squish the beads in the baggie!

For Preschoolers

For preschoolers, let’s get rid of the baggies and let them go crazy with the ooey, gooey feel of the beads. It’s fun to combine colors, sort, and enjoy the consistency of something unique and super fun. And if they end up eating them, well it’s just tapioca which is mostly corn starch!

At school we place pieces of waxed paper on the table and let them play and create with the balls.

We can usually get two or three play sessions out of this depending upon how much we make.

Birdie says: For a real feast for their eyes, combine the colors and watch their eyes light up!

A word of caution, if multiple little hands are touching the beads, play it safe and pitch them after each use. No sense in encouraging germs to stick to these slimy little balls of joy!