Rainbow Loom - Those darn rubber band bracelets

Maries used a butterfly case to store her bands.  Loom at top.

I've posted on facebook a couple of times wondering when this fad of rubber band bracelets took hold of our youth.  Like most kid fads it seems to have just simply appeared out of nowhere.  As far as kid fads go, this one is parent approved as far as I am concerned.  The rubber band bracelet phenomena is a crazy low tech, low marketing budget success story from the perspective of the company Rainbow Loom.  Marie used her birthday money to buy her loom at Michaels, but from my understanding nearly all of the hobby stores have them including Hobby Lobby and A.C. Moore.  Since her purchase she has made countless bracelets for herself, her friends and a few for her family.  As parents we love it.  It is not your typical consumerist fad where you have to buy more and more plastic flotsam made in China or trading cards with annoying made up animal species to keep up with the next kid.  Instead the kids buy a loom and some colorful rubber bands and CREATE.  The artistry is quite amazing considering 7-12 year old kids are the primary ones creating these bracelets.  Kids are using their hands, developing dexterity, using creativity and focusing on a single task for more than 5 minutes.  Something that we feel has been nearly lost with this new generation.  It is amazing as far as I am concerned.  It is targeted towards girls, but from the reports I have heard quite a few boys are into it as well.  I have been wearing one Marie made for me for well over a week.  This new found kid hobby also fits well into our lifestyle of crafty type folks.  Unfortunately, I foresee some issues mounting in the public schools in the near future.  Incidents of kids shooting each other with rubber bands, making bracelets too tight and losing circulation in their hands, choking hazards, etc.  BUT in the meantime the fad is in full force in the Philadelphia area and for those parents who are seeking a creative outlet for their children it should be a consideration.  Like I said, I am amazed at how viral this this has become as a kid hobby.  For anyone interested in the history of the Rainbow Loom or it's creator here is a link from the New York Times.