Beados Crafternoon

In my daughter's opinion, there's nothing better than an entire afternoon dedicated to playing with friends and "working on projects". Thanks to Beados, my daughter was entertained for hours and we made a "crafternoon" of it!

In just three steps, the kids can create their own Beados characters all by themselves! The best part is that each Beados character is made with beads that stick together with just a few sprays of water. Because there are no irons or glue involved, it's a mess-free and safer activity that encourages kids create all on their own! Beados are for both boys and girls ages 4 & up.

Beados provided us with craft mats for the kids to work on. To prevent any confusion or any "he/she stole my spot!", there's even a space on the mats for the kids to write their names! This way everyone can create together, but have their own workspace.

For a fun-filled crafternoon, the Beados™ Quick Dry Design Station was such a lifesaver! It's an all-in-one kit for creating multiple Beados characters. The kit retails for $19.99 and includes 500 beads, tweezer pen, bead pod tray, two display trays, six design templates, spray bottle, and the quick dry fan to help the Beados creations dry faster (though they can also air dry with no problem).

It was so fun watching the process of creating a Beados design. The craft mat has a light dotted pattern, so if you didn't want to create any of the designs from the templates, you could easily draw your own!

To start, fill up the bead pod storage tray and place a design card under one of the display trays. I love that the storage tray keeps your Beados bead colors separated and all in one place. It's also quite helpful when kids are sharing!! Just put the tray between two mats and let them create!

The tweezer pen is easy for little hands to use to pick up the beads. The design is easy to see through the design tray, and all you have to do is place the beads over the pattern. Kids can also easily change the color of beads to create a unique version of the design. This is also a great activity to develop those fine motor skills!

Though it's safe for kids to touch and hold the beads, try to use the tweezers whenever possible. Do not touch them at all if your hands or the beads are wet.

Once the design is in place, fill the spray bottle (which is the perfect size for little hands, by the way) with water and spray 5-6 sprays over the design about 10 cm away. You can spray it more if it doesn't seem to be enough (a few of ours needed more), but keep in mind it will take a little longer to dry.

Once you see the beads fusing together, you know you sprayed enough water. Let them dry for at least 15-20 minutes using the Quick Dry Station. Use a design card to carefully peel up the design, and you're done! For a little more stability, turn the design over and spray the back. You may need to let the design dry overnight before playing with it.

Wash hands and design trays thoroughly with soap and water after use. Also, keep Beados away from small children and do not eat them!!

Once the designs are completely dry, you can display them on a display stand, or attach a suction cup to hang it on display! The kids will be entertained for hours.

If you have questions or are having any trouble with your Beados, check out these tips & tricks and FAQs.

The Beados™ Activity Pack is chock full of even more Beados fun! Retailing at only $14.99, it makes for an affordable gift that any kid will love, or adds more supplies for a crafternoon.

The activity pack lets kids create their own Beados world which includes 600 beads, tweezer pen, large play pad with bridge, scene card, eight design templates, two design trays, bead pod storage tray, suction cups and display stands, and instruction booklet. It's available in two themes: Family Mansion (shown) and Teapot Café.

You can also purchase Beados™ Themed Refill Packs. They retail at $7.99 and are available in six different themes. Each refill pack includes 500 beads, six design templates, one small play pad, one scene card, a bead storage tray, three suction cups, two display stands, and an instruction booklet.

Beados are now available at Target, Walmart, and Toys R Us.

This post is sponsored by Beados. All opinions are 100% my own.