Kids love gross stuff; the grosser, the better. They especially love it if their parents find it really, really gross!
We've got a way for you to indulge their love of all things yucky, and sneak in a little kids science project disguised as fun. Once you learn how to make slime, you realize it's quick, it's easy to make, the components are things you either already have in the house, or can get easily, and it allows the kids to get messy. With minimal clean up for you, just soak the dried slime in water and wipe away. There's no need to go out and buy slime at the toy store; you can make your own for just pennies, and you probably won't have to leave your house to do it.
Key Points
- Remember to add food coloring, otherwise you'll be left with boring white slime!
- Slime making can be a fun party activity. Give each party attendee their own baggie to take their slime home in!
- Make sure your kids understand that this slime is not okay to eat.
How to Make Slime
Once you've announced to the kids that you're making something you think is really gross in the kitchen, get the following things together:
Slime Recipe
- borax powder
- water
- ½ cup Elmer's (white glue)
- teaspoon
- bowl
- jar or measuring cup
- food coloring (optional)
- measuring cup
Step 1: Mix the glue and ½ cup of water together in a bowl. If you're using it, add food coloring. If you don't add the coloring, the slime will be white.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, mix one cup of water with one teaspoon of borax powder. Slowly stir the glue mixture into the borax and water.
Step 3: Some slime will form. Pick it up and knead it until it feels dry. There will be some water left in the bowl; you don't need to worry about, or use, the leftover water.
That's it! You now know how to make slime. The slime you make will become less sticky, and firmer the more your kids play with it. When they're done playing, put it in a Ziploc bag and store it in the fridge. If you leave it out at room temperature for too long, it will grow mold (and we think that's a little too gross). Although the slime isn't toxic to play with, it's not edible, so please don't let the kids snack on it!
Since no cooking is required, learning how to make slime is an ideal activity if you're short on ideas for a birthday party or play date. If you're having a large group of children, you might want to pre-measure the ingredients, and use disposable mixing bowls to make it easier on yourself at clean up time. At a party, the slime you make can double as the craft and the favor.
We recommend that you provide each child with a Ziploc bag with their name written on the side so they can take it home with them. Attach a copy of these instructions and clean up tips to each bag for their parents. To make the slime more festive for a party, you can provide each child with a small amount of glitter to add sparkle to the finished product. Have them add the glitter at the same time they add the food coloring.
Other Fun Craft Ideas
Once your kids have made more slime than they know what to do with, try some other crafts with them! Crafts are a great way to take up their time and focus on a rainy or snowy day. If your kids are occupied, they're less likely to get into trouble!
Have them make art out of simple paper plates or Styrofoam cups. Usually, most families have these materials lying around. Hand your kids some markers, glue, and string, and let them go at it! If you don't have paper plates or Styrofoam cups around, they're very cheap to get from the store. This is a simple craft idea that will keep kids entertained for hours!
Before you throw away the cardboard tubes that come from paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls, think about the crafts that your children can do with them! A simple cardboard tube can quickly be turned into a number of crafts. If your kids love animals, have them decorate a cardboard tube like their favorite animal! Or, have them turn it into a noise toy by filling it with beads and sealing off both ends.
If all you have are markers and paper, you can still do something with that! Give your kids a drawing challenge. Have them draw something from a certain category, or see if they can make a complete drawing in a certain amount of time. Kids will find this fun, and it will stimulate their creativity!
The image featured at the top of this post is ©jarabee123/Shutterstock.com.