Loom bands

My dgds are up to their eyes in them!

Oh dear - my grandchildren have been enjoying playing with them. They'll be consigned to the bottom of the toy box like the clackers, conkers, bows and arrows, heelies and roller blades. Do parents really put their little ones to bed and not notice their fingers bound in elastic bands?

I saw some in our local Pound Shop yesterday, and was sorely tempted
to buy some and give it a go myself! They look fun.
Is my GD too old for them at 11 ? Shall I get her some? Better ask DIL first.

My 2 grandaughters are obsessed with these. I have lost count of the amount of beautiful bracelets and rings I have been presented with over the past couple of months. They are no more dangerous than putting anything overtight around your wrist (hair bobbles are a good example).

Exactly when it's ridiculous. surely any responsible parent wouldnt let a child go to bed with a piece of overtight elastic wrapped around their wrist.

I made 40 of the bracelets last week for the school fete. Apparently they were snapped up within the first 10 minutes. Even the GSs are wearing some, in camouflage and England colours. I am embarrassed to say that I have even made myself some to match various T shirts!

My GD loves hers. She has never been so quiet.

As has been said they will be surpassed by another fad soon. I keep thinking at least loom bands could be useful afterwards.

Well done DM, another scaremongering masterpiece of journalism! Should we ban elastic bands as well?

There will always be parents who aren't careful about safety, but does that mean that everything should have a blanket ban?

Had to laugh at this comment after the artice, which was written by a Primary School TEACHER '. . . . . Our school has band them for children under 8.' Was it a spelling mistake or a pun??!! Sadly, I think it was an error . . . . .

Henetha, the secondary school kids are wearing the bracelets too, even my 15 yr old GS.

My DGC's school will no doubt ban them as (when the teachers can be bothered to actually attend school) they tend to ban anything that may give them any tiny bit of hassle rather than look at it objectively.

To be fair to the DM, a lot of local papers have reported on this subject, and questions about the safety of loom bands have been circulating (!) since June.

When I was a child, in the freezing cold house that was the norm in the 40's, I used to keep my long woolly socks on in bed in the winter. Well I remember my mother shouting up the stairs: 'Don't sleep in your garters! They'll cut off your circulation!' Plus ca change ...

I'm wearing one made at the weekend by my 11-year-old GD who has made dozens as have all her friends. There must surely be a glut of loom band bracelets! I predict that a lot of teachers will receive them as end-of-year presents.

I'm a bit slow on the uptake, I know, but what on earth are they and why so popular?

Rowantree

They are small, coloured rubber bands that kids kind of crochet/intertwine to make jewellery etc.

Kids love 'em! And they're CREATING something instead of staring at a computer screen! My son's partner's wee lads have made bracelets galore (in their favourite football team colours of course) and have now moved on to buying a plastic frame to make even better ones!
How on earth we were allowed to play with marbles (choke on them?), skipping ropes (whipped across legs, etc?) do handstands against walls (head injuries?) roller skates.....although come to think of it, I was only allowed one as I was always and still am, a bit clumsy..... !

Ahhhh, thanks, POGS. The latest craze, then. In DD1's time, it was bouncy balls. She collected huge numbers of them, all different, and I was on a mission to unearth more for birthdays and Christmas. She gave them all names and and played with them a great deal. Other than that, there was a brief craze for plaited friendship bracelets.

Why are they called loom bands though? Sounds like a bi-product from weaving, but they clearly aren't.

Rowan they make them on a type of plastic oblong tray with pegs which stick up and the bands are woven around them using a crochet hook. It is a type of weaving and they are very pretty when done. My DGDs love them too and have made all sorts of things including a keyring, little animals etc.

Rowantree You weave them on a special loom. My DGD is hooked on making them and they can be very complicated. I couldn't keep up with what she was showing me

My GDs just wind the bands round two fingers to make the bracelets - you don't necessarily have to have a 'loom'.

Just to add to the post from MiniMouse and the DM story.

I was watching The Wright Stuff this morning, it's self abuse in my case, and he tried to 'stick one' on the DM as is his want.

He and the panel were taking the urinal out of the DM when he came a tad unstuck. The girl who takes the telephone call-in's told them it was infact her friend and her daughter that were in the paper. She had sent her to bed, hadn't noticed she had a loom band wrapped tightly around her finger and it had turned blue/black. Now I am no expert but logic tells me it is a valid point to raise for awareness.

I will make a point of reminding my GD to be careful and I am by no means an over protective Nan I assure you.

Blimey I sound a bit of a worry puss.

Just relating a story , certainly not advocating anybody stops using them or taking away the fun kids are having. .

I've emailed that article to my DD POGS. I can well imagine having a sneaky go at in bed.

Have actually purchased a plastic loom from a cheap-o shop this morning for GS. Comes with 600 more bands. Mum will not be pleased.

I got a lovely little kit for each of my DGD's from Argos. Loom, tons of bands and an instruction booklet. They are "hooked".

(get it? hooked....)

Oh never mind.

Yeah. Alright.