Elementary and middle school girls taken with the silicone craze. Trading, stacking, mixing and matching .. the possibilities are endless with these silicone bracelets and rings.

Article and pictures by Kathy Dunker

What comes in numerous colors and shapes and has quickly become the next overnight sensation for boys and girls of all ages? Call them silly, zany, crazy, wacky; call them what you will. These silicone bracelets are suddenly all the rage with Castle Pines kids along with kids across the nation.
When worn as bracelets they look like mere rubber bands. When removed from the wrist, they snap back into their original shape, which is everything from dinosaurs and princesses to tools and fast food items. They are simple and inexpensive and the large variety available makes these bracelets perfect for swapping. This all adds up to a very large playground craze.

Most packs of these bracelets come as a theme of activities, animals, pop culture, or objects. And just when you thought these bracelets could not get any crazier, new varieties include insects with feet, tails and antennae that protrude from the bracelet while being worn. Though they started out as solid colored bracelets, they can now be found in tie-dyed and color-changing as well as glow-in-the-dark versions.

Teachers and administrators are finding these bracelets can cause quite a commotion in school. A recent e-mail sent out by DCS Montessori calls these bracelets “a significant classroom and school distraction” and have consequently been banned for students in third grade or younger and in their childcare programs.

While some teachers have banished them from their classrooms, others have only prohibited the trading of them during class, and still other teachers have been seen wearing the bands themselves and actually participating in the swapping process along with their students. Some teachers even use them as a reward for their students.

They were a huge hit at the Castle Pines OctoberFest, with The Castle Pines Connection joining in the craze by handing out Halloween-themed bands.

These bands are expected to be top holiday stocking stuffers for 2010. Among the latest releases are the holiday and Justin Bieber packs. New releases are coming out every day, and custom bands are being produced for corporate clients – get your Chili’s “pepper” band today!

These silicone bracelets are making the rounds at all the local stores. You can find them at Walgreens, Target, Claire’s, Justice, Hallmark, Wal-Mart, and now even at King Soopers and Safeway in Castle Pines North. They are also available on-line in 12-packs, 24-packs, 48-packs, and even in mega packs. Retail prices range between $4 and $7 for individual packs, and Castle Pines community kids have been spotted with upwards of two to four packs per arm! Will this trend continue? Kids don’t seem to care; they just want more, more, more!