My son's new phase seems to be rubber bands. He is doing everything with them. Drawing on them, making them into things, shooting them, ect. Well it has been driving me a little crazy. While my DS and I were visiting a gifted school I noticed 4 boys with rubberbands streching them different ways. Anybody else playing with rubberbands? How long will this last?

Not that this information really is what you are looking for but the show 'Parenthood' which has focused on Aspergers and Gifted had a story line about the obsession with a rubber band ball. Will be interesting to see what comments you get on this.

Yes, the kids in my son's 1st grade class trade the rubber band bracelet things. I didn't know it was a fad...my DS was given a couple but they have since disappeared! He's always loved rubber bands in general, though...I believe for the the stretchy sensory aspect! Nan

They are called Silly Bands around here, and they are everywhere!

We call them silly bands, but my children are OBSESSED!!!

How funny..... we haven't had the fad hit here yet. I've never heard of them or seen them!

OMG.... not even 2 days after I posted that it hadn't hit here yet.... guess what my kids came home on their wrists with?! LOL!

WHO KNEW?

bh14 - that's funny.

isn't there some sort of contest for inventions with rubberbands? You should look into it OTGM

Yes, the kids here have glued them too? Seriously? My son broke one the day he got it. I threw it out. LOL!

This could just be a part of a generalized condition called being a boy.

Story alert... when I was in 8th grade, someone discovered "flickies." A flickie is a fast-flying object made from a square plastic tab from a loaf of bread.

See here for a picture.

To make a flickie, you break off part of the tab and wedge what's left onto your middle finger. Then you put your thumb on that finger and use a flicking motion to shoot the flickie away at high speed.

Flickies took the male population of my school by storm. The high schoolers were still shooting them around the auditorium three years later.

Us girls played with them too, but none of us ever aimed for someone's face like the boys did.

I bet my classmates still make flickies occasionally. I know I do (but I never aim for anyone's face).

So, in answer to your question...I'm not sure this "phase" will ever end. Oh, and my boys (8 and 10) LOVE rubber bands.



Val

Me too. I don't allow them to keep the broken ones... of course, DS got upset b/c his flip flop broke. He wanted to keep it and glue it... he gets that from his great grandfather, I think... I guess he figures the other one is still good. But that's another story all together!