How to Make Slime at Home

Creating vibrant, gooey slime is a simple chemical procedure.

Every child, whether young or just at heart, should know the joys of making slime at home. Simple polymers, or a single layer of molecules, can be used to combine play and science to create either an exciting learning experience or just inexpensive, reusable toys. There are different types of slime, each with its own consistency and texture. Three popular slime methods are Silly Putty, Oobleck, and fiber-laxative Flubber.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring cups and spoons
• White school glue
• Water
• Zipper storage bags
• Borax
• Bowls
• Food coloring
• Corn starch
• Wooden spoon
• Plastic cups
• Microwave
• Psyllium (Powdered fiber laxative found at the drug store)
• Glass jar with lid

Instructions

Putty Slime

1. Mix thoroughly 1/2 cup water with 1/2 cup white school glue together in a zipper storage bag. Add a few drops of food coloring for colored slime.

2. Mix 2 teaspoons of borax into 1/2 cup of water in a bowl, and stir until the borax dissolves.

3. Pour the borax solution into the zipper-lock bag with the glue and water solution.

4. Massage the zipper-lock bag to thoroughly mix the glue solution with the borax solution. Remove the slime from the bag. It will be similar to play putty or chewing gum. If too runny after thorough massaging, add more borax solution.

Making Oobleck Slime

1. Pour 2 cups of water into a bowl and add a few drops of food coloring in a color of your choice.

2. Add 3 cups of cornstarch to the water, and stir with a wooden spoon.

3. Check the mixture's texture. It should feel like a solid when poked, but if you gather it up in your hands, it should behave like a liquid and run through your fingers. If the mixture is too runny, add more cornstarch. If the mixture is too solid, add more water.

4. Pour the mixture into a zipper-lock bag for storage.

Making "Flubber" Slime

1. Place 8 ounces of water into a glass jar and add 1 teaspoon of psyllium (powdered fiber laxative); seal the jar tightly.

2. Shake the jar for one minute.

3. Pour the contents into a microwave-safe bowl.

4. Place the bowl in the microwave on high for five minutes, and then allow it to cool for two minutes.

5. Repeat step 4 five more times. Stir the goo while it is in its final cooling stage; then store it in a zipper-lock bag.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with the consistency by altering the amounts of each ingredient in each recipe.

References

• Columbia University: Polymers and Slime
• Southern Connecticut State University: Experiments with Oobleck
• Michigan Technological University: Polymer Fun