Macayla McAlley looms good deed for sick kids

Macayla McAlley, 11, would have made more than 200 loom bands since her time in hospital in May.Photo/Ruth Keber

Macayla McAlley has spent hours making hundreds of loom bands to donate to sick children at the Tauranga Hospital.

The 11-year-old thought of the idea after she spent a night in the children's ward this year.

She was admitted to hospital after she fell at school and was knocked unconscious.

Macayla thought it would be a nice to make the bands for children on the ward.

"I have been up in hospital before and it's not a very nice place so I thought it would be pretty cool to make them to give them to all the children in the hospital," she said.

The Mount Maunganui Intermediate student said she first learned about the bands in April this year by a neighbour who had cottoned on to the fad early.

"They are just fun and they keep you active for a long time."

She had made more than 180 bands not including the ones she had already given away to friends and family.

Unlike other tweens who have caught on to the fad, Macayla uses only her fingers to weave the bands together and takes her two or three minutes for each one.

The bands can also be made by using a crochet-like hook to help weave the rubber bands together or on a plastic loom.

Mother Leonie McAlley-Campbell said during Macayla's visit to hospital she was still making the bands.

Tauranga Hospital Educational Play Specialist Debbie McDougall said she would hand out the bands to children admitted to the ward.