Do you want to keep your kid(s) busy AND quiet? And without a mess?!? I know I do. Especially with online school coming up next week. If you have kids of different ages or basically want to be able to get ANYTHING done with them at home, you’re going to need to keep a kid or two busy while you help another one with school work, do your own work, cook, clean, etc, etc, etc.
(This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.)
Enter the bracelet rubber band kit. Yup, you heard me. Rubber bands! Like this:
I bought this exact set for my daughter’s 6th birthday last year. She has made a lot of pretty bracelets, chokers, keychains, and necklaces since then. She enjoys giving them to her friends and family, and it also has really helped her work on her patterns.
So I already knew it was a great little craft and for less than $20, you really can’t beat it.
Fast forward to this past weekend and we are at a rained out baseball tournament in WV. Stuck in a small hotel with no where to go and endless hours to kill. (It’s a team of 8 and 9 year old boys plus all their siblings). If you’re thinking that sounds terrible (as a parent), you’d be correct. The boys had the time of their lives.
Anyway, someone brought this same kit. Prior to this being brought out, the boys were running amok. Then this happened. They sat down, crafted, and included the little siblings. Even the dads were making them! One of the coaches joked that if they practiced hard for an hour next week, he’d let them play bracelets afterward, lol.
For reference, here they are after the rubber bands were put away. Tackling each other, running, and wreaking havoc on the hotel conference room (and the nerves of every parent there). You can also see my little one in the corner playing with one of the necklaces they made, haha. Fun for all ages!
We all know there are plenty of ways to keep kids busy but here is why these rubber bands are awesome and my favorite:
- They don’t make a mess! No spilled paint, no sticky glue, no impossible to clean glitter, etc. Just close the plastic case when you are done. That’s it!
- They are extremely portable. They come in that plastic case, pre-sorted by color, and they don’t require any other tools! You can do them on long car rides too.
- Your kid can do them alone or with lots of other people. There are so many rubber-bands in the case that there are always plenty to go around.
- It’s good for boys, girls, dads, moms, etc. I actually enjoy making these with my kids. Not something I can say about a lot of crafts.
- The kids can be creative with the colors. They can make the bracelets in the colors of their favorite sports teams, to match a new outfit, for the current holiday season, etc. It helps reinforce patterns too.
- It makes a great gift! Either to give as a whole set to someone for a friend’s birthday or have your child make a bracelet or keychain for someone special. I bet any aunt, uncle, or cousin would be happy to get a bracelet from their niece or nephew.
Are you convinced yet? Bottom line, at less than $20, if you have a child anywhere from age 5 and up, this is a great option to have in your rainy day toolkit!
