Great Malleable Material - Bubble Tea Pearls!

Whilst sorting through these photographs before I send them off to the publisher, I thought I would do a quick post to see if you had discovered this stuff.

It is called Tapioca Pearls or Bubble Tea. It is basically like giant tapioca. You boil the contents of the packet in a pan and they swell up to make these large tapioca balls.

On the packet it suggests that you can eat them hot or cold and add them to milky tea, soup, coffee or jelly. None of those options fill me with the desire to try them out!

(amendment to post - Sandra found the following link regarding Tapioca Pearls saying that they had ingredients that may cause cancer  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/05/bubble-tea-tapioca-pearls-may-cause-cancer-study-claims_n_1856152.html#slide=more225946. Through some further research I have found other articles that say that the Tapioca Pearls are perfectly safe and the original report is unfounded. It is just good to be aware)

 

They are great to look at and touch when they are uncooked and hard an then again when they have been cooked when they are soft, squidgy and slippery.

Not only are they something different for the children to handle to encourage talk and language development, they are perfect for your malleable materials area as they will 'roll' under children's palms, allowing them to use large arm movements. They can also be used to develop pincer grip.

Have a go at using match sticks to stick into them when they are cooked to join several together and create a bit of small scale, fine motor construction.

They come in various flavours and colours. Beware, they get very sticky and slimy when they are cold. Some children (and staff) will love the texture. Others might not be as keen!

Of course they are small and round and a perfect size for popping in your mouth or up your nose, so younger children should be supervised whilst using them.

Amy left me a comment on this blog post that I thought it was worth adding to the main post. 

These are super simple to make yourself. Just buy tapioca starch/flour (I got some for 55p from a Chinese supermarket) Add boiling water to the flour until them combine to make a dough. Roll the dough into little balls/pearls. Leave the pearls to dry out a bit for 2-3 hours and then boil them for 15 mins or so. If you make them yourself you can make loads! Add different coloured food colouring and then you have a great sorting activity too!

Thanks Amy

Enjoy having a play

Alistair

Comments

[Kathrine]

I love this idea! Where can I buy some please?

[abc does]

Hi Katherine

Just search 'tapioca pearl' online and you should get lots of options. I got mine from an online Chinese supermarket.

Alistair

[Sandra Jones]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/05/bubble-tea-tapioca-pearls-may-cause-cancer-study-claims_n_1856152.html#slide=more225946

I did a google search for tapioca pearl and got the above link!!

[abc does]

Hi Sandra

Thanks for the link - Good to be aware even thought the findings have been refuted. I wouldn't advise that the children eat them anyway and certainly not suck them up through a straw! Bearing that in mind it is even more important that it is a supervised activity. I will amend the main post to include your link.

Alistair

[Niki Buchan]

Oh Alistair, where do you find all these lovely ideas.....much prefer this to the plastic balls that are popular at the moment. Thanks again
xx

[Amy]

You can make them, they are really simple. Just buy tapioca starch/flour (I got some from a chinese supermarket for 55p!) keep adding boiling water to the flour until it forms a dough. Form the dough into little balls. Leave the dough to dry for 2-3 hours then boil the balls for 15 mins or so.

If you make them yourself you can add food colour and make loads of different colours, great sorting activity.

[Two of Everything]

Have you come across water beads? They're a very similar sort of thing - lovely jelly-like balls which are great for sensory play. I've just published a post about them on my blog :)

[abc does]

Brilliant suggestion Amy, thank you. Will definitely have a go!

Alistair

[abc does]

Hi Two of Everything

Nice to hear from you. Yes, I have used water beads or aqua beads. They are especially good over a light box. I have posted some pictures of them being used like that on my Facebook page. I will pop over and have a look at your post.

Alistair

[Lucy Evans]

We did these today for Chinese New Year - we also added bubbly gloop (cornflour mixed with washing up liquid & Chinese 5 spice!)
The children loved it, thanks for the tip!
https://www.facebook.com/lucylocketchildminder/photos_stream#!/photo.php?fbid=548181011866470&set=pb.322608507757056.-2207520000.1360018378&type=3&theater

[chelly oconnell]

have just discovered your page...and i am so glad i did!! thank you for so many ideas and answers to questions. cant wait to share it with my staff!