Zirrly 3D Bead Fun

I haven't gotten the chance to do too many reviews this year that involved fun with the boys, so this Homeschool Review Crew review was a special treat!  What makes it more fun is that Super Beads from Zirrly is not just a homeschool product- it is a KID product, and a neat one at that!

Yes, we got to play with the Super Beads 3D Car and Truck kit.  I mean, what boy doesn't like cars and trucks?!

So what are Zirrly Super Beads?
Remember the days of ironing a bunch of little beads together to make neat designs on trays?  Well, those little beads are actually called Perler Beads, and when put together they can create some fun things.  The problem we found in the past was that those projects required the heat of a HOT iron to fuse them together.  A hot iron.  With a kids' project.  See the problem?  I am sure that somewhere it seemed like a good idea on paper, but the reality of it was it was dangerous for kids to do alone.

Enter Zirrly Super beads.  These are the same concept of design fun, but involve fusing the beads together with WATER.  Yes, you read that correctly- WATER!  How cool is that?  Just spritz the beads once you have them set in place, and wait 20-30 minutes for them to "set" and dry.

What comes in each kit?
Each of the specific projects kits, like the Jungle Animals, Birds and Jewelry Set, come with beads to complete the project (and extras), several work boards and the design(s) templates, a design tools, a spray bottle and a tray to help keep things contained.  And instructions, of course.  You can also just purchase a bag of 4500 beads of all colors.

Our Experience-
Colby, age 10, and I started the Super Beads 3D Car and Truck together.  We opened each colored bead packet and put them in the tray for safe keeping.  

He then put the design templates behind each tray and laid out the beads. 

Once the beads were laid out, he sprayed them with water.  Here is one place we struggled a bit.  The instructions do not indicate how much or how little water to use.  By trial and error he figured that out, but a couple of times had to go back and respray a section to fuse it better.

Once the beads are set properly you simply remove your project from the project boards.  For the 3D designs, now the hard part begins.  With a series of pegs that you put beads on, you attach the different flat designs together to create the 3D effect.  It can be a bit tricky with one set of little hands.

Luckily for us, my 16 was around and intrigued and was able to help sort out a few bits of confusion.  Mom stepped away and the boys finished on their own!

 

Note that we started with the truck, which we did decide was the harder of the two vehicles to put together.  Once we did that one, Colby was able to complete the car with minimal help.  

Pros and cons-
One of the neat things about these Super Beads is that they are more flexible than the original Perler beads.  When you pull them off the trays they tend to be softer and more pliable and therefore less likely to break, which is a huge advantage when you are dealing with the 3D sets.  

Of course, I also love that they are safer to use.  The 3D sets are recommended for kids 10 and up because of the complexity, but even at that age I would be hesitant to set a child loose with a hot iron so using this water method is perfect.  

Since these types of projects are often used in groups like school clubs or VBS, this allows for an easier and safer set up!

It is also nice that if a bead comes off all you have to do is spray it with water and stick it right back on.  Easy fix!

The only con I have for Zurrly Super Beads is the instructions.  Like many similar projects, the directions are all pictures.  Let's just say this momma struggled with that a bit.  I will say however, the boys seemed to understand them better- probably from lots of building experiences that come with pages of pictured instructions.  While I do not think this would affect the flat designs, since the 3D sets are a bit more complicated the adult in me would have loved to have seen a few words in the instructions. 

Overall, we loved using Zirrly Super Beads and would highly recommend them.  Think summer fun, VBS, or even birthday party activities.  The possibilities are endless and the choices for sets are plentiful!  Have some fun with your kids this summer!