Making slime, whether you’re 50 or 5 years old, is always fun! Kids can make it with only a small amount of help from us adults. Slime is quick to prepare, easy to clean up, and fun for hours. My kids categorize it as “not a solid, but not a liquid”, “so stretchy,” and “super sticky.”
On a recent snowy day when school was canceled and we were worn out from playing outside, we had a blast making this borax-free version of slime with ingredients that are readily on-hand at home.
Materials:
- Elmer’s glue (preferably the clear version, but can be white)
- food coloring
- baking soda
- saline solution (if you don’t have saline solution, add 1/2 tsp of fine salt into 1 c hot water, stir until dissolved, and cool)
Protocol:
- Add 4-8 oz of glue to a glass or plastic bowl
- Add a few drops of food coloring and mix with spoon
- Add 1 tsp of baking soda and mix
- Add 2-4 tbsp saline solution and mix until slime forms a ball that is slightly sticky, but won’t stay stuck to hands
- As slime is played with, add more saline solution as necessary to prevent it from getting too sticky
- Store slime in sealed plastic bag or container to preserve it
Observations and Experiments:
- How does slime feel before and after saline solution is added?
- How far can we stretch slime?
- What happens if we pull slime apart with force instead of slowly stretch slime?
- What shapes can we make with slime?
- What surfaces does slime stick to?
- Does slime bounce?
- What happens to the surface of slime when we mold it to our palm?
Enjoy cultivating your and your children’s curiosity making and exploring slime!
cultivated curiosity 