How to Make Slime With Your Kids

Picture this: it’s a rainy day and your family is cooped up inside. You’ve had your screen time and now you want to do something entertaining and kid-friendly, but you don’t want a massive clean-up ahead of you. Enter our recipe for homemade slime.

Slime can keep kids occupied for hours, and the science experiment is also beneficial for their development. Research shows that sensory play —including activities that expose kids to various textures like slime— promotes learning and brain development, problem-solving skills, fine motor skills, independent thinking, and more.

So put away those tablets and turn off that latest Disney movie : it’s time to get (reasonably) messy and make some easy, fun slime at home.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Slime

Follow these easy, simple instructions to learn how to make slime. It takes less than twenty minutes. I followed this recipe with the help of my kids, and we had an awesome time.

What You’ll Need

• Plastic Bowl
• Mixing Spoon
• Teaspoon and tablespoon measuring spoons
• Airtight container for storage

Ingredients

• 8-ounce bottle of white glue (we like Elmer's)
• 1 Tbsp baking soda
• 1.5-2 Tbsp contact saline solution
• Optional: food coloring and/or glitter to color your slime

Instructions

1. Place glue in the bowl. (Pro-tip: If your glue doesn’t come in 8 oz sizes, weigh it out like we did.) If you’re using food coloring, now is the time to add it. Put in the desired amount of food coloring to achieve the color of choice.

2. Mix in the baking soda. If you're worried about getting slime on the table when mixing, consider covering it with a plastic tablecloth, newspapers, or a garbage bag.

3. Add 1.5 Tbsp contact saline solution. Make sure the solution contains boric acid and sodium borate, which are needed to form the slime.

4. Stir the slime until you can’t anymore, then knead with your hands until the desired consistency is reached. Eventually, it'll come together and no longer be sticky.

5. Have fun playing! This slime works best when played with on a placemat or other non-porous surface (it may be hard to clean off of porous surfaces like thick carpets).

How to Store Slime

Store the slime in an airtight covered container or zip-top bag, away from direct sunlight.

Slime Safety Precautions

While this is an easy-to-prepare slime recipe for kids, it’s important to note that parents should supervise. Here are some safety tips.

• This slime is not edible, so avoid making slime with younger kids who might be tempted to put it in their mouths.
• Seek medical attention if any of the components were accidentally ingested.
• Wash your hands before and after using the slime.
• If your children have a skin reaction to the slime, stop using it.
• Tie up your child's hair so they don't get slime in it.

Slime Troubleshooting

Does your slime not look quite right? We rounded up some common slime problems and solutions to help you troubleshoot.

Slime is too slippery or thin : Add more contact solution, a few drops at a time, until the slime firms up.

Slime is too stiff: Add more glue into the mixture.

Slime is not fluffy enough : Keep kneading by hand until the desired consistency is reached. You can also try adding some shaving cream to the mixture.

There's not enough slime : This recipe is easily doubled and tripled, though these instructions make about a cup of slime.

Slime isn’t coming together : Make sure you’re using real contact solution, and not just saline.

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Read the original article on Parents .