The reduction in the cost of modern technologies more and more often leads to the fact that even toys familiar in our childhood quite unexpectedly acquire a new, atypical appearance and properties that are amazing to the imagination of the older generation. Take at least the same plasticine - ordinary is also used to this day, but has long been no longer a squeak of fashion, since the developers have already come up with varieties of it that have practically nothing to do with the original material.
Today we'll talk about magnetic plasticine - a special toy that can serve as an amazing material for creativity, and will also become much more interesting and exciting than playing with newfangled spinners.
What is magnetic plasticine?
Magnetic plasticine is a "smart" plasticine, additionally endowed with magnetic properties. Since a huge number of people still do not even have a clue about smart plasticine, it should, for a start, dwell on what it is.
In fact, the chemical composition of ordinary and smart plasticine is very different. Clever plasticine, like the overwhelming majority of genius inventions of mankind, was born by chance - as a by-product of chemical experiments aimed at creating new materials with improved properties.
For the first time received in 1943, the waste, also being completely atypical in its qualities, for decades could not find itself absolutely any application in the area thanks to which it appeared, that is, in industry.
Much later, someone came up with a bright idea that a plastic mass that was not used in any way could be used instead of the classic plasticine, which it surpasses in a number of useful parameters. Now this substance, which has rapidly taken over the counters of children's stores, has finally become widely known, and in English it received the name handgam (handgum - literally "rubber band for hands").
Here are some more facts you didn't know about handgam:
- Today it is a very popular children's toy that can be found in toy stores in any major city in the world.
- Since the product is very funny in itself, and even allows numerous interesting experiments with it, it is openly recommended by psychologists not only to children, but also to adults.
- For greater commercial attractiveness, manufacturers try to initially colorless and odorless mass to give a bright color and some kind of "tasty" smell.
- It is difficult to list the specific properties of smart plasticine, since it is available in many varieties; the same applies to the magnetic subspecies, but at least it is united by a common feature - a characteristic reaction to a magnet.
- Although it is undesirable to take magnetic plasticine by mouth and in no case should it be eaten, when applied externally, it is completely harmless to humans, except in cases of an allergic reaction to a dye or flavor.
Kinds
The special charm of clever plasticine is that it does not have a specific recipe and strict proportions. Rather, there is a range of must-have ingredients to which additional ingredients can be added to provide exactly the properties the customer wants.
In particular, magnetic plasticine is ordinary clever plasticine, but with the addition of the smallest metal crumb, which is not visually noticeable, however, is present in sufficient quantity to cause the material to bizarrely bend towards any magnet located close enough. This variability of the composition allows you to create a huge number of types of magnetic plasticine.
First of all, it differs in its color and smell. These criteria have little to do with the actual use of the product, but are often the main reason for choosing this particular product, and not any other.
Modern food colors and flavors allow you to give the mass any color and aroma, but usually it is produced in bright colors and with a strong sweet smell - of fruit or chocolate.
According to these indicators, it is worth choosing a toy, starting only from your own preferences.
It should be noted that in terms of color solutions, there are also completely non-standard options - for example, transparent plasticine, or a mass of any color that can glow in the dark. Glowing plasticine looks very impressive, especially if you have already figured out how you can amazingly apply it in practice.
Depending on specific needs, magnetic plasticine can be of completely different consistency - from absolutely liquid to almost solid. Liquid and soft versions are often purchased for children, who use them mainly for creativity, but more elastic varieties are used by adults as an antistress, a kind of "chewing gum" for hands.
The very fact that this mixture is capable of interacting with a magnet allows you to entertain even more actively, stretching a piece of mass without touching it, or forcing a cobbled figure to "reach" to the magnet.
Properties
So, magnetic smart plasticine is a soft or liquid substance that easily lends itself to attempts to change its shape. The product is initially produced in different densities and elasticities, however, you can also influence its properties at home - for this, the mass is mixed with a small amount of water, hand cream, or other substances, but here you have to be careful if you do not know for sure from what your copy is made of. Regardless of the density, the magnetic handgum must be magnetised.
A separate moment is the interaction of magnetic plasticine with a magnet. If ordinary metal objects are attracted, literally breaking loose, then handgam, being a rather large and heavy lump with elastic properties, generally remains in place, but is pulled towards the magnet.
A classic example to describe is an elephant head figurine made from such material; if you bring the magnet close to the tip of the trunk, and then start to drive it from side to side, then the trunk will, as it were, follow the movement.
With direct close contact with a piece of magnet, the handgam completely envelops it, tightening from all sides; if the magnet lies below, and a large enough piece of such plasticine is placed on top, it will even lift the magnet to envelop it from all sides! At the same time, it is not at all difficult to get a magnet from "captivity", and no traces will remain on it.
By the way, about the tracks. Magnetic plasticine, in contrast to the classic, does not stick to anything other than a similar substance. It is very convenient, because you can not be afraid of stains on clothes, furniture, table or other interior items. A good sample does not stick to hands either, that is, we are dealing with a completely neutral substance.
The rest of the characteristics may differ from recipe to recipe, but let's highlight at least some points. For example, when struck, some types of hard hendgum break into pieces, others deform according to the principle of ordinary plasticine, while others are resistant to such an impact and only spring in response, like a ball. At the same time, some solid species, being attached to a vertical surface, begin to flow and drip down in a few minutes without any additional influence.
The reaction of the material to an attempt to stretch is also different - some plasticine stretches perfectly, while the other easily breaks into pieces. Some types of magnetic plasticine can even change their color when exposed to heat.
Some inexpensive varieties of toys dry out quickly enough, which negatively affects their elasticity. On the Internet, you can find various recommendations on how to make a toy softer, but again, it is important to know the exact chemical composition of a particular specimen. In addition, the material can only be softened until it has completely hardened, otherwise it is impossible to restore its original flexibility.
Role in development
Modern experts note the unique properties of magnetic plasticine, which allows it to be not just a toy for the banal killing of time, but a valuable asset that can help its owner and bring him real benefit. Here are some of the beneficial results noted primarily:
- Since even an innocent play with clever plasticine requires some destructive effort, such a mass is excellent helps to reduce the level of aggression both in a child and an adult. Everyone knows the situation when, in a fit of rage or extreme grief, a person wants to break or smash something. At such a moment, valuable things often come across, but it is better to take out aggression on a toy, which already does not have any specific form, therefore it will not suffer from too violent emotions.
- For children, magnetic plasticine is also a great way develop fine motor skills of the hands. Preschool kids are not yet very good at using their fingers, but they simply have to learn - it will come in handy in life. Instead of doing it through some boring, uninteresting exercise, they can practice playing, even if they don't make any meaningful figures out of the mass.
If the child is great at giving the product some very specific complex shape, magnetic plasticine will allow you to identify and develop talent as early as possible - what if your kid can become a famous sculptor or designer?
- A bright, pleasantly smelling, beautiful toy does not at all imply that a child or an adult will be bored with it. Psychologists note that it helps you to take your free time well and distracts from any negative thoughts. In other words, it is an excellent and completely harmless antidepressant.
- In addition to the development of motor skills, handgam also contributes to strengthening arm muscles... In a sense, this is a kind of expander, but if a child is unlikely to be interested in repeatedly squeezing an ordinary spring, then with a beautiful plastic mass he will play even without mentioning the possible benefits of such an activity. Daily "training" for at least half an hour will very quickly make your baby's hands strong beyond his years.
In addition, such a result of using "hand gum" has long been noticed by physicians who recommend playing with magnetic plasticine for those who have had serious hand injuries, including stitches.
- With the help of the chosen color of the toy, you can try to make certain adjustments in the peculiarities of the baby's behavior. It's no secret that bright, challenging colors provoke activity in children, while calm, pastel colors, on the contrary, soothe. It is highly likely that magnetic plasticine will become the child's favorite toy, with which he will spend a lot of time, and then the psychological effect of her color will be very noticeable.
Tips for choosing
As is the case with any other product, the quality of the handgam can vary greatly, depending on the conscientiousness of the manufacturer and the ingredients used in the production process. On the one hand, low prices usually indicate not the highest quality, on the other hand, sometimes it makes no sense to overpay for qualities that are simply not needed. Here are some helpful tips on how to find the best magnetic plasticine:
- If you buy bulk from a store, be sure to take your child with you - in the end, this product is purchased for him. It would be nice if the sellers let him try the toy in action - so he can estimate in advance whether he likes this model or not, and also compare it with other items in the assortment.
- The degree of magnetization of each individual magnetic plasticine is different, in addition, it can magnetically target different magnets in different ways. Because of this, experts advise giving preference to those kits where the manufacturer originally put both plasticine and a magnet - when buying via the Internet, this will become the only relative guarantee that the product fully meets expectations.
When buying an item in a store, be sure to check its magnetic properties, even if the magnet is included in the kit.
- The transparent version of magnetic plasticine seems much less attractive.but it has a very practical advantage of its own. The fact is that many young children are very sensitive to any dyes that cause them allergies. Since you certainly cannot say for sure in advance whether the dye used in this particular model will provoke an allergy in your child, it is better to give preference to those models in which there are no dyes at all. The rest of the ingredients are usually not allergens, so this precaution should work.
- Monitoring comments on various sites, engaged in the supply and sale of magnetic plasticine, shows that a huge number of consumers are disappointed in Chinese products. The varieties produced in the Middle Kingdom really differ in very low prices, which, even taking into account the cost of delivery, allow you to save money. Nevertheless, most of the Chinese handgams are extremely short-lived - they harden, and it is impossible to fix the situation.
For this reason, users are advised to overpay a little, but buy Russian products. The only company engaged in the release of magnetic plasticine in Russia is "Magic World".
A short video review of magnetic plasticine is waiting for you in the next video.
