Silly Bands Taking Over the World One Wrist at a Time

The Game
My child’s elementary school has been infiltrated with colored-shaped silicone-bands. Known as silly bands or crazy bands, the children collect the numerous shapes, trade them, wear multiples as bracelets and compare what they own with their friends.

In case you don’t have someone twelve or younger in your house, these are thin silicone bands that can be stretched and snapped but revert back to their original shape time and time again. They can be used for any purpose you’d use a regular dull-tan rubber band. However, let me tell you, they don’t work well to make ponytails.

But wait, the bands have slipped into the teen and college-aged vernacular and lifestyle. No one is safe, the lure of these colorful fashion accessories is strong.

And … okay … I’m wearing two as I type this Blog entry!

The Education
One local church uses the bands as a teaching method. The instructor supplies bands and talks about the designs. Since the shapes come in many varieties the program must be structured to a format the facilitator can handle. My son is itching to attend the program next Sunday and we don’t even attend that church! He’s finagled an invitation from a schoolmate.

The SillyBandz Web site style list includes: baseball, rock-n-roll, princess, fantasy, holiday, dinosaurs, western, basic, alphabet, zoo, pets, sea and rainforest. It boggles the mind!

Who’s on First?
According to Toy Directory Monthly the original Eastern Accent animal bands design won awards in 2003. Supposedly, the new hip bands are different from these original bands as these can now be worn on the wrist by children and the new college-aged fans. They are distributed by SillyBandz by BCP Imports, LLC, Toysmith and Top Trenz just to name a few.

My son and I picked some up at Walgreens for $2.99 per pack of twelve. They were called Shaped Rubber Bands and, of course, are made in China. The SillyBandz sell for $4.95 for a pack of twenty-four.

Now I’m off to order the baseball bands for my son to trade with his coach-pitch team!

Warning this fad toy is rated for ages five and older.