First it was Silly Bandz and then Kendamas. Each new year there is a new trend among young kids. Keeping them entertained, until something else new and exciting comes along, and then onto the next.

The Rainbow Looms are the next big thing, they’re a bunch of little rubber bands twisted and tied together in a variety of different ways to form many things. With hundreds of colors to chose from, the options are almost endless.

The list of things kids can make is huge. Kids are coming up with plenty of silly names and quite creative designs for necklaces, bracelets and just about anything thought of.

“You can make a lot of bracelets: triple single with rings, starbursts, zig-zag, fishtails, ladybug, honeybees, and so many more,” said Bo Allison , a fifth grader at Afton Lakeland Elementary.

They can go from a very simple design, to a very complex one with a few steps. Made on a plastic board or even just with hands, just like anything, all it takes is practice.

“I’ve seen a lot of the videos. They have their own Youtube channel on how to make bracelets,” added Allison.

With any new craze comes change. Distraction is the worry amongst parents and teachers of the young kids. In elementary school classrooms all over the Rainbow Loom is being banned.

“My teacher takes them away from us, and we can’t have them in our classroom because they say that they stop us from doing all of our work,” said Evan Peterson, a second grader at Afton Lakeland.

Parents know better than anyone what the effect of the Rainbow Loom have on their young children in their homes, and it is not hard to tell.

“He’s always looking up videos and finding anyway to make some sort of new thing at home,” said Missy Peterson, parent of a student.

In the classrooms it is a different story. There are different responsibilities for the students, and Rainbow Looming is not one of them.

“I’d rather make new bracelets than do math or read at school, but I know I can’t do that now,” Allison added.

The kids do not try to hide their love for Rainbow Looms. They are slowly popping up everywhere. Teenagers in the high school have been spotted wearing bracelets, parents in grocery stores and teachers too.

“I make them for anyone who wants one, or I just give them to people all the time,” said Allison.

It is not hard to see that the Rainbow Loom is a hit. Walking into Michael’s craft store there are advertisements  for “Loom Courses”. They are everywhere and the kids love them, but whether they’ll stay is another story. The Silly Bandz phase has passed, and so have the Kendamas. It is hard to judge what is to come for the Rainbow Loom.