UV Color Changing Beads
Become an UV detective with amazing UV-sensitive beads - Now in green!
Usually ships out the next day.
Recommend for 6 years & up with adult supervision.
Now available in green for the first time ever!
Become an ultraviolet detective with these amazing UV-sensitive beads! It's solar magic in action! Make bracelets, test the effectiveness of sunscreen, or experiment with color while you learn about the power of sunlight. Included is a science activity guide with lots of fun experiments with solar radiation and light. Ages 4 and up.
"I love the idea of connecting this activity with the Rainbow Fish story in your instructions. Thanks for a super science connection!" - Kindergarten teacher
"I purchased some knock-offs on-line and was so disappointed with the colors. Keep making the best color-changing beads!" - Educational Programs, NASA
What's included?
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250-pack
- Approximately 250 beads of assorted colors
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1000-pack
- Approximately 1000 beads separated by color*
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2500-pack
- Approximately 2500 beads separated by color*
*We include an equal number of each color.
How does it work?
Don't blink your eyes because our color-changing beads have a new formulation that makes the beads more reactive to the sun and the colors more vibrant. The UV-reactive pigment keeps the beads from permanently discoloring and speeds up the time it takes for the beads to change back to their original white color. The UV-sensitive beads contain a pigment that changes color when exposed to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The energy beads are not affected by light from light bulbs that do not emit ultraviolet light. The beads will remain white indoors, when shielded from sunlight.
What does it teach?
Use the beads to teach kids about the ultraviolet radiation and the care that needs to be taken to prevent the damage it may cause. Ultraviolet (UV) light is the invisible radiation that will give you a sunburn and injure your eyes if you're not careful. Sunglasses and sunscreens absorb UV photons. You can test their protective qualities by using your UV detecting beads.
Science Fair Connection:
You can't just put UV Beads in the sun and call it a science fair project. You're just demonstrating the concept -- these beads change color in ultraviolet light. To make the UV Beads activity a science fair project, you have to change something (identify a variable), run some more tests, and make some comparisons.
- Find several different types of medicine bottles and test to see which one is the most effective in blocking the damaging UV rays. Be sure to use the same number and color of UV Beads and expose the beads to the light through the bottle for the same amount of time to standardize the conditions as much as possible.
- Examine the UV-blocking powers of different sunglasses.
- Test different sunscreens by placing UV Beads in a zipper-lock bag and covering the bag in sunscreen.
Remember, you have to keep all other factors the same. Use the same light sources and the same number of beads. There are many ways to use UV Beads for a science fair project. We have written up a sample science fair experiment called The Sunscreen Factor that walks you through a project step-by-step. If you are interested in a simple, straightforward, and quick science fair project, be sure to check it out. It doesn't do the work for you... you wouldn't want that anyway, right? It does give you a template to follow to ensure that you use the scientific method, control your variables, and document your discoveries.
Product FAQ
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What are the dimensions of an energy bead?
Each energy bead is approximately 6mm x 9mm and the hole size is approximately 4mm.
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Do the beads fade over time?
After we left the beads out for the entire day and brought them inside, they returned to white.
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How long do the beads last?
We still have some of the original batch from a couple of years ago that are still going strong.
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Are the colors in the 1,000 pack packaged separately?
Yes, the colors you get are red, orange, yellow, blue, purple and now green!
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How many bracelets will the 1,000 pack make?
In general, a good bracelet requires 12-15 beads, which means you can make about 65-85 bracelets with the 1,000 pack of beads.

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UV Beads
February 16th, 2012
Click the thumbnail below to see the video.
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UV color changing beads
Wendy K. - March 16, 2013
I love the uv color changing beads. I use them on St.Patrick's Day. The little leprechaun leaves my kindergarten kids a surprise in baggies with a pipe cleaner and some beads. The poem tells the kids to take the beads out in the sun for some fun. |
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Beads are Great
William - March 13, 2013
Using these beads for demonstration purposes. They work as advertised. Really helpful to show people when they need to be careful with UV exposure. |
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Great fun and great learning!
Terri - January 14, 2013
My daughter has been asking for these for 2 years! FINALLY, we found this website and ordered them. She is 9 years old and has so much fun with them and she likes to tell everyone the scientific way they work! |
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love.these.beads!
Beth - January 9, 2013
My niece, age 7, and nephew, age 4, loved making necklaces then taking them out to see what colors they became! Quite fun! |
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Just OK
Ginny S. - August 18, 2012
I used these beads to teach a mini-unit on the power of the sun. It was part of a 4 day long Space Camp. These beads were just okay. I purposely purchased them from Steve Spangler because I wanted the best, brightest colors. I had used them 2 years ago and they were VERY bright colors. This year's batch were not very bright and I could have gotten the same results with the less expensive brands. It was a VERY sunny day. Too bad. This is the second time that I have repurchased a SS product and had less impressive results than my first experience. I teach K-2nd Grade enrichment programs for a recreation department.
Ginny- |
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Summer camp must!
Brooke Nelson - July 12, 2012
UV beads are great to show the effects of sun exposure and sunscreen use, especially during a summer camp. I used these with incoming 2nd-5th graders and you could have heard a pin drop while they were working with them. To bring UV exposure home, have amber-colored prescription bottles on hand. One member of a pair has his/her beads in the bottle, the other in their hand. What happens? Try it!! |
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Gorgeous colors!
Yocheved - July 11, 2012
I am so impressed with how fast these beads change back and forth, and how vibrant the colors are. My 9 year old daughter is going to make bracelets to sell to all the kids in the neighborhood, and teach them about sun safety in the summer (you put your sunscreen on the beads too, and when they start to turn colors, you know it's time to put on more sunscreen). |
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Very Sensitive!
Cynthia Baumann - June 4, 2012
I used the beads in my class titled "The Atmosphere" for children ranging from 4-8 years of age. Of course on the day that I needed to use the beads, the skies completely clouded over. However, knowing how sensitive these beads are, they still worked extremely well! Even better, I was able to demonstrate that UV rays can still penetrate through cloud cover, which is why we need to wear sunblock. |
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UV Beads are the Best!
HOLLY MCKAY - May 26, 2012
I was worried about doing my science lesson with these beads since it was such a cloudy day, but they still changed colors and was the perfect example to show the students that even on a cloudy day, there are UV rays present and they still need sunscreen. |
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UV Beads
julie kirsch - May 16, 2012
Great beads....my students loved them!! |
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WOW!!!
wolf - May 12, 2012
These beads are so cool! I like that you can test sunscreen on them and they are fun, but give you a lot of knowlege about prevening a sunburn! |
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Safety Day Camp
Tonya - May 8, 2012
I LOVE THESE! We used them for an experiment at camp for sun safety....and they are EXCELLENT for EVERYTHING!!! |
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Fun!
Laurie - April 19, 2012
Used these beads for a kindergarten class. They were so excited when we made bracelets and they walked outside and watched them change. Nice colors but not very bright. |
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uv bracelets
Mrs. Amy Sicina - March 21, 2012
Great product for 7th grade science lesson plan! |
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Color changing beads
Chris White - March 19, 2012
My preschool class loves to go out to recess and watch the beads change color. Put them back into their pockets watch them turn white and watch the process start all over again. very cool product |
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High Quality!
Thelma - March 12, 2012
I wanted to let you guys know that I've bought UV beads from you in the past that were awesome; however, I tried to save money and bought some from "educational innovations," last time, instead, and they were of much poorer quality. I'm sticking to Steve Spangler in the future for UV beads for my students, for sure! Thank You! |
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UV Beads in the Arctic
Sheila C. in, at the time, Iceland - January 31, 2012
Are you interested in how UV Beads react in Iceland on a glacier in the mid to later afternoon in the rain and complete overcast sky? I bought the beads because my skin has an abnormal immune reaction (red and itchy) to UVA and I was interested in watching the beads' reaction in different situations. This was really surprising. Seems there is no escape from UV until the sun is completely set. Photo from January 28, 2012. |
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Love these!
Chris - January 9, 2012
The kids can't stop trying to change the color of these beads. They've been playing "Mythbusters" and experimenting with these for days. every light in the house has been tried ("mom, we have to be thorough!") Last night, a bracelet was left in the refrigerator and one in the freezer to see if they react to the sun any slower than the room temp one. I bought the 1000 bead set and was thrilled when they arrived sorted by color. I can't seem to stop thinking of ways to use them to make things |
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color changing beads
Maggie Hunt - January 8, 2012
Bought these for my daughter's science fair project and they were great. She love them and the best thing is she can use them to make bracelets and other crafts when she is done with her project. |
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UV Beads
Ingrid Woods - October 25, 2011
We use these beads for grade 8 students to create an original controlled experiment. We the made bracelets out of their beads. This year we are going to make keychains as the string comes undone and the students don't really wear the bracelets. |
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These Things Are Cool!!!
Kurt M. Sprenkel - September 22, 2011
They are really eye-catching, and my 6th graders love them. |
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Great!
Judy - September 11, 2011
Used the beads when we did a summer session on the sun with the youth who assist with a community garden. They LOVED them! We began indoors talking about the sun (what did they already know, how did they know it, etc.) and had them make a bracelet. We didn't tell them what would happen when we went outside. They were WOWED! Went on to use different sunscreens, etc. |
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UV beads
Renee - August 31, 2011
I ordered the UV beads and am so pleased with them. They change into very brillant colors when exposed to the sun. My grandchildren are planning on making bracelets with them. |
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Sun Safety
Mary Koenegstein - August 22, 2011
We started using your color changing energy beads at last years Progressive Agriculture Safety Day. We use them at our Sun Safety demonstration. After a short presentation on why and how to be safe in the sun, the students make a bracelet using your beads. It helps them remember to wear sunblock and they have a fun time learning how and why to be safe in the sun. Even the adults are enjoying your product! Thanks! |
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UV Beads Worth It
Roger Davis - August 11, 2011
These beads were a hit with the workshops I held for elementary and middle school aged kids. We found the quickest way to change the colors back to neutral was to put them in your pocket for about 5 minutes. Another application we found was to see how much sun came through windows (both house and car windows). The sunscreen experiment was great too. Practical because it showed us if we were getting too much sun while we were outside and fun because the kids loved to trade them! |
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Amazing beads
Deborah Easley - July 24, 2011
These work great. The kids made bracelets and then tested sunscreen. |
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Color changing beads
Amy - July 20, 2011
We used these to make bracelets and bookmarks for part of my daughter's 9th birthday party. They were a hit. The kids loved taking them out in the sun and then running back under the covered patio to have them go back to white. I worried that the boys she invited wouldn't really want to make anything with them but they loved the idea of making them into bookmarks. They tied them to the string and left them long so they could hang out of the end of their book. It was great. |
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UV beads as gifts
george zimmerman - July 18, 2011
we have given bead packets containing ~12 beads and multicolored heavy string to children in many countries. when we can find it we use glow-in-the-dark string. they are universally appreciated, require no power and hopefully will stimulate investigation as well as wonder. we have suggested your experiments where possible and have added one of our own. when a group of beads are heated to ~350 F they will melt and assume the shape of the container (use metal or suitable container) while maintaining the color changing properties. in this way we have added animal and other shapes of interest to our gift line. thank you for a wonderful product! |
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New Hit at McM Designs Bead Shop
Diane McMullen - July 11, 2011
We just started carrying your beads in our bead shop and what a hit. In less than one week, I had to order another batch of 1000 beads. The really cool thing is a gentleman was reading our news letter at our website and saw that we had the UV beads. He came to the shop and designed a necklace for his wife as a "little something extra" for her birthday. He said they spend a lot of time on the lake and she would love having beads that change colors when in the sun. It seems adults love these beads almost more than the kids do. |
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Color Changing Beads
Marilyn Daggett - July 9, 2011
The beads worked great for a little craft project for an upcoming theme cruise (Quacker Cruise 2011). It is a good thing for me to be able to provide UV beads for people on a boat - especially for those friends who like to soak up the sun. That way they will know when it is time to re-apply sunscreen!
We took care of it for you Marilyn. Thanks for the review and have fun! |
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Great group activity
Kelly - May 31, 2011
Very easy to do with a large group of kids, also interesting to show them that they can't change the color of the beads by just putting the bracelet near a lamp, they must go outside or use a UV black light. |
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UV Beads
Maria Y - May 18, 2011
I used these beads with my son's Kindergarten class. It was a great hit. Along with the beads I also used the book "The Sun Our Nearest Star". IT was a great lead to discuss UV light. Everyone had a blast stringing the beads to makes braceletss. Even the teachers got involved and were asking me where I got them. |
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Solar Beads
Deb Alford - May 12, 2011
The solar beads are wonderful and they amaze the students. I will definitely buy more of the beads to use in other activities. |
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Fun way to learn about UV rays
Chelsea - May 3, 2011
THis is a different approach to show students the effects of UV rays. |
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Exciting party activity
Robin - April 16, 2011
I purchased these beads as an activity for a 6th birthday science party. The beads were set up at a station with instructions for kids to count out (12) beads and put them on a string, then have an adult tie it into a bracelet. The kids (boys AND girls) enjoyed making the bracelets, then literally ran outside to see what would happen in the sunlight. They loved the mystery of what color their beads would become with UV exposure. The beads were inexpensive and a HUGE hit! |
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So Much Fun
Nicole Hall - April 2, 2011
My students were impressed with the energy beads. We attempted the sunscreen experiment, but a windy day blew our bead bracelets around, so we'll have to retest at a later date. However, they did notice that if they did not carefully coat their beads with sunscreen, it was instantly obvious when they changed color along with their control set. |
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UV Beads
A. Wilson - March 4, 2011
They work wonderfully. It is so interesting to see how they react under different light conditions and during different parts of the day. |
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A Crowd Pleaser!
Donna Stillman - February 25, 2011
I enjoy demonstrating the color-changing beads and would like to see more colors added to the selection. |
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UV Beads
Ginny - February 20, 2011
These bead were a wonderful visual aid for my pre-school class. They loved seeing the "magic" beads chnange colors in the sun. They also arrived quickly!! |
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Community Service Kit Hit
Andrea Kamens - February 14, 2011
For our school's annual community service day held on Super Bowl Sunday, we focused on Health and Wellness. One project was 75 Fit Kid Kits for the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, a clinic serving a low income population. Included were beaded bracelets we made with your Color Changing Energy Beads. Our families loved stringing the beads, the holes are big and the beads are strong. They were able to make quick checks to see the bracelets in action - they changed from white to brilliant colors in seconds even in the weak winter sun. We tested out sunglasses on some at home and they stayed white under the shades. We taped the finished bracelets to a writeup from the helpful information on your website about UV rays and sun protection, and included outdoor fitness toys, nutrition bars and SPF Chapstick in our kits. Thanks for helping with two great projects - teaching our own families about healthful living in a fun way and spreading the good word to the kids at the clinic. We especially appreciated that the product worked totally as advertised. It had the wow factor and ease of use. The entire ordering and shipping process was pleasant and the price was awesome! We had over 150 attendees at our event. There is no crafts activity we could have gotten for the price point of your bulk pack beads. |
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These are so cool.
Amandalynn Morton - February 10, 2011
These are the neatest beads I have ever used. To watch them change colors in the sun is amazing. My nine year-old little sister is fascinated by them as well. I will be ordering more in the future for sure! |
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UV beads
Dr. Karen Carr - January 18, 2011
Hi. I first bought UV beads 3 or 4 years ago, after our title I coordinator, Tanya Lorence (at Halpin ECC; Houston ISD) told the staff about your website. I used them with my granddaughter and grandnieces and grandnephew. Last year when my granddaughter was in kindergarten in Portland, Texas, I made bracelets with the beads for each of her classmates and took them, with refreshments, to her class to celebrate her birthday. I am doing the same thing this year. I have bought the Halloween kit, and many other of your products. Thanks, Karen Carr |
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Great Product!
Pam - December 21, 2010
The kids at our Mad Scientist party loved making their bracelets and then watching them turn colors outdoors. It wasn't even a sunny day, so it just goes to show that UV rays are there even when the sun isn't! Wear your sunscreen everyone! |
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UV beads!
allison - December 14, 2010
These beads are super cool - but I was shocked when I opened the package and realized that 250 beads were actually only about 1/2 of a ziploc bag! |
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Energy Beads
Rhonda Robinson - November 29, 2010
These changed color alot faster than I expected. I used these at a science event for kids and sent a bracelet, they made, home to do a science experiment with parent's to get them excited about science too! |
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Oooo's and Ahhhh's
Kristi Beil - November 9, 2010
Our homeschool group meets weekly and we are currently studying the solar system and the sun. We used both the sun print paper and the UV beads for our science experiments today and all I heard was "Ooooo!" and "Wow!" and "Ahhhhh!" The experiment directions on your website that accompany the product was SO helpful to all of us! During lunch I left the container of UV beads just sitting out so that kids could keep touching them and playing with them. It was so fun to "overhear" the kids noticing things like; "The blue ones turn color fast than the rest." So then I would encourage them to see what color changes next and next and next. |
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Sunscreenanator SciFair2010
The Mom - November 8, 2010
Shipped fast and worked just as showed on the video. |
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Great for teaching colors to 4's and 5's
julie ross - November 6, 2010
the preschool kids loved these! Lots of fun. |
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Wonderful
Barb FL - October 5, 2010
My frist grade students were blown away by the color changing beads! We did it as an experiment, I told the kids that something would happen when the beads were exposed to sunlight (which is what we were studying). They learned that "something" in sunlight is different from the light in our classroom. We are moving on to new activities but this was a wonderful science/art project that they could take home and share with their parents!! |
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All bead are not created equal
Michael Holeman - September 28, 2010
I really was not sure what to expect. I was warned that the UV beads do not get very colorful especially the yellow ones. I am here to attest that is not true. Any one who buys your beads will be very happy with what they get. Aside from there entertainment value they sever a necessary purpose. I wish I knew about these beads last spring so that I could make bracelets and necklaces for my young cousins before summer. However for those of use prone to cancer it will help all year round letting us know when we are at risk even in the winter. Thank you. |
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Always a favorite
Jennifer - September 23, 2010
These are great for younger school-age kids. They illustrate how UV lights work. A great craft AND science activity for kids. |
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Fun experiment
stacey - September 13, 2010
Gives students a chance to see how powerful the UV rays are of the sun. |
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UV beads
Kara Willoughby - September 13, 2010
The UV beads were wonderful. They went great with the story "The Rainbow Fish" and the students were amazed when they went outside and their special fish scales changed colors. |
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Nice but ...
Terry - September 12, 2010
Ordered the 6-pack beads separated by colour. Put the purple under the sun and watched the colour changed immediately and was vibrant. Didn't think of trying the others out. One kid wanted an all yellow bracelet. Most the yellow DIDN'T change and a lot of broken pieces in this bag! (You should see her face, poor thing.:( ) Will call and ask for replacement. Put all out under the sun first. Otherwise, you will have to undo the bracelet to take out the bad ones. Also the colours are not as nice as the ad. Red looks like pink. Other than that. They are fun and look great with the blue cord. |
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suprising sunny day
Fiedler Family - September 9, 2010
Had a Bday party for our 9 year old. 27 kids made a necklace with the beads, thinking they were just white beads. We went outside to do the Mentos in pop experiment, as the children walked out the door, we asked what was happening to their beads. They were all amazed and it was a great prank to pull on the kids. We really enjoyed the whole day with all the Steve Spangler products, thank you for all the fun, interesting and educational tols you provide! |
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AWESOME
Christine - September 9, 2010
A total hit with my students! We used it to test SPF effectiveness. The kids are convinced it's necessary to wear sunblock even when it's cloudy outside! |
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UV beads
Bethany - June 24, 2010
LOVE these beads! Great price for an awesome product. We used them at Vacation Bible School to make salvation bracelets. The teen and adult volunteers loved them too and wanted some for themselves; wish I would have ordered more. Ordering more soon! |
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Fun in the Sun!
Karen Baker - June 19, 2010
If my students could write my reviews, they would give this item the highest marks! I bought these so we could test sunscreens and make UV bracelets. The kids are going to use them as reapply reminders this summer when playing out in the sun. They just loved the experiment and activity! |
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AWESOME!!
Kelsey & Ariel - June 17, 2010
The beads we ordered are AWESOME!! We have yet had an opportunity to use the mentos experiment, but me and my sister love the UV beads! =) |
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Fantastic!
Kelly Croucher - June 8, 2010
These will make such a nice party favor for my daughter's 7th birthday. (Of course, I'll have to set some aside for myself too!) |
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What a hit!
Meg - May 4, 2010
My school's 6th grade Earth Science classes made bracelets with the color changing beads in conjunction with "hazardous weather" unit. Students conducted a lab on sunscreens, and then we made the bracelets and tested a select few beads with several sunscreen brands. The students loved it, and all the teachers that conducted this lesson agreed: It is quite the hit! |
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UV Beads
Barbara Stratton - April 30, 2010
Great~ kids love them! |
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Great fun at 6-year-old's birthday party
Ethan Handelman - April 12, 2010
We used these as part of a craft activity at my 6-year-old's birthday party. The kids loved them for bracelets and necklaces, and they even started attaching them to foam stickers to make pendants. Changing color in the sunlight led to much fun and discussion of UV light. |
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Coloring Changing Beads
AJ Lafferty - April 5, 2010
All of the colors were very bright and changed immediately with a black light or the sun...We did the outdoor experiment with different SPFs before we did the bracelets. Lots of my students are still wearing the beads after a month. |
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Color Beads work great!
Lynda Kennepp - March 27, 2010
We ordered these as an activity for girls at my daughter's birthday party. They really change colors fast! Great purchase to teach about sun safety!! |
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Leprechaun Science Fun From Steve Spangler Science
Angie from My Four Monkeys Product Reviews - March 25, 2010
Angie received the Leprechaun Science Kit from Steve Spangler Science at no cost to her in exchange for a review. To read Angie's review in its entirety, please visit her blog [This is] a ton of stuff for only $24.95. What I love most about Steve Spangler Science is that all their kits come with enough supplies to do these experiments over and over again. The Green Leprechaun Snow was a big hit with the kids and even bigger when this momma realized that once the snow dries it's reusable. ...seemingly boring white beads were my girls' favorite when we discovered that adding a little sunlight created beautiful rainbow bracelets! The Worm Goo was also a big hit and probably my favorite. Add a little water and some green food coloring and you have instant worms! |
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Happy Science Mom
Jenny Ellsworth - February 26, 2010
My daughter is in kindergarden, and her school doesn't have a lot of science. They do have parent sharing, however, and she got to bring me in today. As a science mommy (my husband and I both majored in Physics), naturally I had to do some science. In 15 minutes. |
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I love them
Cal Belding MI - October 30, 2009
I had just got my energy beads last monday and the next day it was really sunny out and i usedd them and they worked really great. I love these thing now i can start making things with them and enjoying them very much. Thanks |
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AWESOME!
Crazy Palm Beach - October 7, 2009
My science teacher used these for a project when we were studying energy and heat. My classmates loves them and I am using them for my next b-day party! |
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Great Product
Jane Texas - September 16, 2009
It was like magic before my very eyes. Worked perfectly. Not sure what the other person from Texas was talking about. |
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UV Beads are terrific
Anita Brandon Los Angeles, CA - August 21, 2009
These were a HUGE hit with both Pre-K and KG students. When it's cloudy the colors are very pale & the yellow stays white; but the more sun the brighter the colors and the faster they change. They do take a few minutes to fade, and longer to go completely white again, but my students can't get enough of them. Months later they still work great. My only complaint is you don't get an equal amount of each color and I couldn't figure out how to block the rays with sunglasses and still see the beads without exposing them to the light. I wear my bracelet a lot here in California to remind me to put on sunscreen. I'm definitely ordering more. Thanks Steve!! |
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texas sun
Lee Ann Morgan Austin tx - August 10, 2009
I live in texas and thought these beads would be wonderful fun,But they do not get bright and fade out the longer they have been in the heat.I was very disapointed because you can not say we have no uv rays in texas its over a 100 degrees here and the sun is bright |
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