Clubhouse Plumbing

Did you know that Rainbow Water Beads actually does sell a pack of Rainbow water beads? I popped a pack into a bowl of water to hydrate, and then drained them. Placed them next to the Waterway Pipe Builders set. Done.

"We need a big box to catch them when they come out!"

This was true, I'm glad he thought of it. 

Had I really not thought of it myself?

  

Of course I had. I know how bouncy these little things are.
Sometimes I like to leave "something missing" and watch the Clubhouse Kids come up with their own solutions;)
After fishing out a big Styrofoam container from the pile of "just in case we can use this" recyclable materials, he was all set. 

He started with just a funnel and watched them drop into the container.  Realizing they go right through, he started constructing.

Putting the pipes together and dropping the beads through he concludes, "Sometimes they get stuck and you need to put more water beads in to push them all out. We need water."

So we get water and he pours it into the container and starts putting the beads in with a handful of water.

"Now they go super fast and all come out!"

Water Bead shooting out of the end of his pipe creation.

He keeps constructing, pouring, reconstructing.

"I need to make this one longer."

"This piece is shaped like a T." 

(Bonus letter lesson yet again.)

Based on color, he started testing whether some beads would go faster than others.

Then he decided, "I'm going to try a cotton ball."

When he realized a cotton ball wouldn't travel through his contraption he ruled,

"The cotton puff isn't wet so it doesn't work."

Soon he grabbed a bowl and turned this into a multi-level operation.

Then he grabbed a scoop and tried 

to catch the water beads as they came out.

Then he used the scoop to put them in too, 

trying to get them to come out of the funnel end.

"I'm doing it backwards!"

Discovering that they sometimes escape through holes left unplugged before they reach the end he says, "I need stuffer pieces to stuff the holes." 

Moving the large container to the floor, he continued...

..and it's a good thing this set does have said 'stuffer pieces'. Now he was plugging holes everywhere.

"Look, I'm a Plumber!!"

Twisting, turning, building, moving pieces around, adding water, using scoops, stuffing holes, and even making letter shapes with the pipes... this was definitely a successful adventure in water beads.

Oh, and I even got a beautiful bouquet in the end.

"Flowers for you!"

Don't you love it when you just set out two simple things and they do all of the rest?

For more ideas on what to do with water beads visit our Adventures in Water Beads page here. If you are a blogger, feel free to join the party by linking up your water bead activities. The more the merrier!

I need to go put my flowers in water now... :)

Ms. Liz

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