Sometimes the toddler really surprises me. He was recently sent some Hama beads from DKL to play with. Hama beads are multicoloured, soft plastic beads which can be placed on pegged plates to form all kinds of designs and shapes. I love this photo of the toddler with his My first hama maxi beads set! I did ask him to smile but he said he couldn’t!

Crafting with Hama beads

Despite the face he really enjoyed himself. The box was visually very appealing to him and he couldn’t wait to open it. There were a few patterns on it and he chose to make the dog: he was completely absorbed in his task, from getting the right pegboard, to following with pattern and picking the right coloured beads and putting them in the right place.

Sometimes I find it hard to judge what toys are suitable for him but these were perfect; developing his fine motor skills, hand-eye co-ordination and manual dexterity. When he had finished I covered the beads with the special paper and ironed them to make sure they had fixed in place. He was very proud of what he had made and instantly wanted to make something else which is always a good sign.

The Maxi beads are twice the size as normal hama beads which means they are perfect for little hands. I love creating with midi hama beads and although the colourful beads appeal to the toddler they are too small for him. His set included 900 beads in lots of colours, a couple of peg boards, instructions for different designs and ironing paper.

My first hama maxi beads from DKL are a great introduction to crafting with hama beads and educational too!