8 things you can do with the latest craze
No need to wonder what’s over the rainbow, the rainbow is the point. Move over scooters, the latest kid craze is Rainbow Looms. This is not news – we know you’ve heard of them and know how to get them. We’re here to tell you what you can do with them. In fact, there’s a lot to be said for embracing these dinky plastic looms and bright rubber bands – if your little one has downed a digital gadget in order to take up mastering the phenomenon, you’re doing well!
Take rainbow looms on trips
Rainbow looms are the perfect toy for travel these school holidays. They are transportable and time-consuming, so they do well to keep kids occupied on planes if you’re jetting off for the summer. There is even a special travel version of the loom available called the Monster Tail
Fine tune fine motor skills
Watch as little fingers go from fumbling tiny bands and devices to deftly coordinating their digits with awesome accuracy. The Rainbow Loom is mainly pitched at kids 8-14 but plenty of children younger than 8 are trying their hands at making their own designs.
Start a project together
If your child is younger but they’re keen to get started, they may need a bit of help from you. Creating something with a Rainbow Loom is actually a good way to spend time together and focus on achieving something fun, positive and tangible.
Have a rainbow loom party
Hosting a Rainbow Loom party, sleepover or get-together is a great way to enhance social skills, cooperation and feel-good factor. Kids love sharing their skills and helping their peers. The end product, be it a bracelet or belt, is also great for sharing and trading. The making and swapping of Rainbow Looms loomed so large at summer camps in the US last year that they are partly responsible for their success in taking off worldwide.
Make personalised pressies
Everyone from school teachers to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are sporting Rainbow Loom bracelets. They’re the new friendship bracelet! But unlike friendship bracelets we wore, these cheery rubber bangles have social media backing and have gone viral. And everybody wants one. Instead of shopping for birthday gifts, your little one can custom-make their friends and favourite people a one-of-a-kind piece of wearable art that is sure to put a smile on someone’s dial. And it will make your child feel good and proud too.
Use your imagination
There is no limit to the creativity that kids can bring to the Rainbow Loom. There are countless different weaves they can master just for bracelets alone. Once they have perfected loop designs, they can apply them to make lots of cool things – You Tube is awash with instructional videos for bags, pencil grips, sandals, figurines, baskets, belts, capes, and our favourite – Elsa from Frozen.
Build self-esteem
The patience and persistence required to complete a little work of art with the Rainbow Loom makes it incredibly satisfying for kids. They will good proudly showing off their creation. And if they decide to part with it as a gift, you will know they truly value what they’ve made.
Like following a set of IKEA instructions
We’ve all been there: you’ve put the thing together but somehow there’s one vital piece left over. Baffled, you step over the instructions again. Weaving on a Rainbow Loom assures more success but it will employ reading, comprehending, visualizing and following a series of steps in order to achieve success. It sounds heavier than it is, and is much more fun, but honing these skills using Rainbow Loom projects does wonders for other areas of a kid’s life too.
Pick up Rainbow looms from Pupsik Studio, Playhao and Twelve By Elly
All images courtesy of Rainbow Loom’s Facebook Page