All About Water Babies
Slipping beneath the notice of the busy adult world, a new craze has been unleashed amongst the ranks of school children. Water babies have made their mark, and their appeal is so wide-spread that they can currently be found in Popular, Comics Connection, and some ordinary-looking neighbourhood provision shops.
My Water Baby Story
I first heard about water babies when my cousin Estella mentioned them to my sister during a family gathering. Estella turns 8 this year. Then my younger sister, Sec 4 this year, started raving to me about them. Apparently water babies were these squishable round things that could "grow" in water, and they could be bought at Popular. Intrigued, she decided that she wanted to get some for herself.
A week later, we found ourselves at the entrance of a Popular bookshop. We asked the salespeople, who directed us to the counter. There we found four colours of "water babies" in one packet, sold for $4.90. Admittedly generous helpings of them, but it wasn't worth it to satisfy our curiosity. Also, they weren't labelled as water babies, but as an alternative soil to put plants in. This strengthened my belief that they were commonly found items used for years, just that they had slipped the notice of little kids. The investigation stopped momentarily.
My second encounter with water babies was today in the RJ bookshop. I found them labelled "water babies" and sold for $1.45 for one colour. Then at lunch, as we were walking in the Braddell area, we found them in a provision shop: a packet with multicoloured ones for $1. After so many encounters, I decided that I might as well buy them.
We grew them on the canteen table, in a little pool of water.
I brought a lot home and turned them over to my sister, who has been happily growing them in a container. They're turning kinda lumpy though, and not as round as the one from the canteen.
End of Story
***
Further links:
"My son was at the front end of this fad and sold his share of water babies to other kids. At one point they were going for 15 for $5."
Picture of someone holding one.
I just think it's cute how little kids get so fascinated with stuff like that. Adults kinda lose the ability to be wowed by simple phenomena. Yeah, and it's cute at how kids know how to establish a black market and profiteer too.
Cheered,
Alaris.
P.s. Picture credited to ggy.
My Water Baby Story
I first heard about water babies when my cousin Estella mentioned them to my sister during a family gathering. Estella turns 8 this year. Then my younger sister, Sec 4 this year, started raving to me about them. Apparently water babies were these squishable round things that could "grow" in water, and they could be bought at Popular. Intrigued, she decided that she wanted to get some for herself.
A week later, we found ourselves at the entrance of a Popular bookshop. We asked the salespeople, who directed us to the counter. There we found four colours of "water babies" in one packet, sold for $4.90. Admittedly generous helpings of them, but it wasn't worth it to satisfy our curiosity. Also, they weren't labelled as water babies, but as an alternative soil to put plants in. This strengthened my belief that they were commonly found items used for years, just that they had slipped the notice of little kids. The investigation stopped momentarily.
My second encounter with water babies was today in the RJ bookshop. I found them labelled "water babies" and sold for $1.45 for one colour. Then at lunch, as we were walking in the Braddell area, we found them in a provision shop: a packet with multicoloured ones for $1. After so many encounters, I decided that I might as well buy them.
We grew them on the canteen table, in a little pool of water.
I brought a lot home and turned them over to my sister, who has been happily growing them in a container. They're turning kinda lumpy though, and not as round as the one from the canteen.
End of Story
***
Further links:
"My son was at the front end of this fad and sold his share of water babies to other kids. At one point they were going for 15 for $5."
Picture of someone holding one.
I just think it's cute how little kids get so fascinated with stuff like that. Adults kinda lose the ability to be wowed by simple phenomena. Yeah, and it's cute at how kids know how to establish a black market and profiteer too.
Cheered,
Alaris.
P.s. Picture credited to ggy.
Labels: fact, family, rjc, water babies
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