I don’t know where I first encountered the homemade slime thing (…it was probably Pinterest) but it’s been stuck in my mind for weeks. I have vivid memories of playing with Gak as a kid, and this is basically the same stuff.
I knew the kids would love it; Gwen especially enjoys tactile things, and the more rubbery “slime” works with her Play-Doh toys. It’s also a cool introduction to non-Newtonian fluids, which my young geek, Ellie, would appreciate. Yay science!
I followed this recipe, the gist of which is white glue, borax, water, and food coloring. It’s easy to make, but the process is messy. Thankfully it’s also washable (I’m told vinegar will do the trick if plain water doesn’t work).
The above recipe is straightforward so I’m not going to copy it here, but I did learn a few things in the process of making our own goop:
- Add the borax solution a teeny, tiny bit at a time for the best results; I made the mistake of adding too much too quickly, and my goop was more rubber than slime. Still fun to play with, but not as stretchy as I wanted.
- You’re going to get to a point where stirring doesn’t really work, and you have to knead the borax solution in. To avoid the sticky mess all over your hands, put the goop in a zip-lock bag when you do this. Or don’t. I’m not the boss of you!
- If it’s too rubbery, add more glue and water.
- If it’s too sticky, add more borax solution.
This stuff is a pretty great stress reliever. I have a habit of twirling my hair and picking at my scalp when my anxiety is getting the best of me, and I’ve found playing with slime keeps my hands occupied so I don’t pick.