It’s been a while since I’ve had a child in the house who wants to play with Maxi Hama Beads (3+), more is the pity, but we keep a box of them here anyway, for visiting small people or because just occasionally they hit the spot for one of the big kids in some indefinable way. Maxi Beads, which are far chunkier than the ordinary Midi Bead size, are lovely for young fingers. I’ve used them for so many things – threading beads, counting tools, sorting tools – and then of course there is the added bonus of actually using them as intended. When small people are very little, they don’t tend to remember and need them ironing either, which is a great money saver and as they get older, they make glorious toys, being strong and chunky, or wall decorations.
This is Josie using them at about 18 months, under supervision of course – she loved them from a really early age.
My lovely friend Josie the Bigger recently reviewed some for me – you can see how much 3 year old Kai enjoyed them over at Sleep is for the Weak.
To enter (UK only) leave a comment below. If you tweet the competition, leave another comment, if you facebook it, leave another. If you blog a link to PoP or PlayMerrily, leave more comments. I have two sets to give away to a lucky winner.
I will draw the competition on Saturday 19th November at 12pm and the winner will have one week to send me their address. If we get lots of entries, I’ll add some PlayMerrily gift vouchers in too
My girl would love some of these for Christmas!
Being chunkier they are so much easier for grown-up fingers too! I ironed an abstract pattern for my 3-year-old just last week…
What a great idea for a Christmas present. My little boy would love them.
Would love to win some of these, my little girls love them!
Have shared the comp link on Facebook (Annwen Archbold) x
Shared on FB too.
Also tweeted @AArchie78 x
My daughter would love this, as would my son. Perfect to keep them entertained when the new baby arrives (due 21st Dec)
shared on FB
I have a 7 and 3 year old who have yet to try out Hama beads, I have been thinking a lot about buying them recently and maybe some fimo 🙂
My Mum still uses a teapot stand (a big square)which one of the children made frm these waaaay back when they were first out. 🙂 I know a little girl who would like some 🙂
don’t enter me for the competition, but just wanted to add how fab they are! we used ours with BB from pretty tiny, and they have been grave goods in archaeology sessions, counting, colour sorting, beads for dreamcatchers etc etc. i would recommend them for all ! and to camille, yes to hama and fimo 🙂
I have an impatient three year old with limited fine motor skills who might benefit from some funtime playing with these! 😉
Like HH I don’t need any myself (although I’m sure I could pass some on!) but I don’t know if I ever told you that my mum ended up taking the last of our maxi beads to the pensioners’ tea club she helped at and they were very much enjoyed there – they’re easier for stiff older fingers to deal with as well as being great for little fingers 🙂
I really really want to get some of these for my son, but can’t find anywhere locally that sells them. Would love to win some. 🙂
Have tweeted the comp as @BekKitandCake
Crikey, I used to LOVE hama beads when I was younger and hadn’t realised they did a ‘chunky’ version for smaller people otherwise I would have already sought some out for my little ‘un! She’ll be 2 just before Christmas and fingers crossed we win some for her birthday but if not, suspect we’ll definitely be buying some for her anyway!
Excellent for little fingers to use – and so much easier to pick up when spilt!
Shared on facebook too 😉
Ooh my daughter would love these 🙂
would love to win these (but am off google and order some anyway!) my 21 month old has an eye problem and I need to patch her good eye and work with her bad eye to help it work again. This would be perfect as usual Hama is too small. Thank you for the idea it helps such a lot.
Grace, please check out craftmerrily. We are very reasonable!! 🙂
Shared on Facebook too 🙂
Have just ordered from you, will be back as I really have to encourage her to use her eye and your things are fab! Why have I never heard of bigger hama beads? (I have six children who all love to make!) Am just about to tweet as well and thank you very much.
Tweeted & facebooked and am resurrecting my sadly neglected blog so will blog about it too! x
Hi, I’d love to be entered for this. My 3yo son and 2yo old daughter would love them! Thanks,
Hannah
Both my girls have grown up loving Hama beads and have long outgrown the Maxi Hama Beads but I know a little person who would LOVE them for Christmas 🙂
I’ve been thinking of trying these with my little one, as her brother already loves the tiny beads but I’ve never tried the maxi beads!
Shared on fb too!
My 3 year old would love these and it would also be great practice for a an autistic 9 year old.
Also shared on facebook
Blow the kids…. I want some!!! These look like the sort of thing I’d play with once the kids were asleep in bed! Fabulous. Think my 8 and 3 year old would love these.
Me me me, I am going to be a convert x
I really should get some for my 4 and 2 year olds – now they’re 4.75 and 2.5 – we have aqua beads to avoid ironing but they’re too fiddly really! I look at them on PlayMerrily and CraftMerrily but never know where to start and end up buying other things 😉
Oh my goodness! You so should! (I recommend any of the £14.95 kits, they have 3 boards and lots of beads, so better value than the smaller kits, especially if you have more than one child). I still love the teddy, turtle and whale one the best 🙂
These would be great for my little boy, I think he would love it. @RedRoseMummy
Also tweeted 🙂
I have tweeted @RedRoseMummy
I have liked on FB (as Pippa Ainsworth) @RedRoseMummy
Ooh I had forgotten about these fab beads. My little girl is nearly two and would love these!
These are fantastic. I have never used the bigger beads, but my 4 year old would love them.
I tweeted as @mumoffunkids
https://twitter.com/#!/mumoffunkids/status/136517180014604288
Shared on facebook too
Fantastic, have bought heaps of these already as they’re popular with range of different ages, and they’re big enough to spot when they end up on the floor!
(only wish they had more choice in the individual colour bags available to top up my supplies.)
Our house is filled with beads from Maxis to Minis but I have to say the Maxis work the best as all the small children in our house (who live here or are visiting) can’t resist making a pattern or something with them. They have become the preferred gift from my 4 year old to all the special people in his life and everyone loves getting the creations as he has clearly had fun thinking of their favourite colours and things and making some sort of representation of them.
Off to buy more packs to give to my godchildren for Christmas…..
I spotted these (or something very similar to them) looking for Christmas presents for my son the other day and seriously considered getting some as he loves anything with small pieces to manipulate (and I must admit they’re the sort of fiddly toy that keeps me engaged in quality playtime with him!). The synchronicity of stumbling across this post means Santa may well now be delivering them to him (it’s a sign! :-D).
We’d love to win these please!
Have tweeted as @seasiderclare
Shared on FB as Clare Kendrick Anderson
My 11 year old can’t wait every morning to get to school breakfast club to do Hama Beads. She loves them so has a set coming for her birthday tomorrow. I will be buying some for my 5 year old niece for Xmas , she will love them too. So much better than Aqua Beads
My two girls would love these. If I don’t win I shall get some for Christmas.
I’m entering this for my friend whose children love to use the large hama beads. Must get some for them for Christmas. xxx
We love Hama beads esp the maxi ones…..they are so easy to pick up from the floor and I have lots of cup coasters made from them….love your site Merry…any muddle puddle camps happening ????
Jan Kocan Abergavenny i/c Hugh, Emily, Lulu, Chloe and Max xx
Ooh, my boys would love these. At 5 and 3 the teeny ones are too tricky, but these would be perfect…
And tweeted too… @oompaloompaburps
Maxi beads are great. I am proud to say I have never yet made a Hama artwork permanent.
My noisy active 3yo boy loves to sit with the maxi beads, I have pointed my dad in the direction of playmerrily for a new Christmas set!
So who were the lucky winnrers? xx
Patience….. Patience….. 😉
I had to count these from the back office, since the blog seems to hide comment streams over a certain number of comments (sigh, will sort that out, sorry, it’s not ideal.)
The winners are….
Fiona Judge
Hannah Durdin
who both win a Maxi Hama Bead set.
Please get in touch with your address via the contact page 🙂
A new give away starts tomorrow – please visit and take a look!