Making fun, stretchy slime for kids at home is simple using a few common household items like glue and contact lens solution.
Slime is a fascinating non-Newtonian fluid that kids love to play with. Using a recipe that includes PVA glue, bicarbonate of soda, and contact lens solution is a popular and effective method for creating stretchy, gooey slime safely with adult supervision.
Ingredients You'll Need
To make slime using this popular method, gather the following items:
- 100ml PVA white glue (children's craft glue or CE marked glue)
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- Gel food colouring (for vibrant colours)
- 1-3 tsps contact lens cleaning solution (this must contain boric acid to activate the slime)
- Glitter (optional, for sparkle!)
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Slime
Follow these easy steps to create your homemade slime:
- Prepare Your Base: Pour 100ml of PVA white glue into a clean bowl.
- Add Bicarbonate of Soda: Stir ½ tsp of bicarbonate of soda into the glue until it is well combined. The bicarbonate of soda helps the slime activator (contact lens solution) work more effectively.
- Colour Your Slime: Add a few drops of gel food colouring to achieve your desired colour. Mix thoroughly. You can also add glitter at this stage for extra sparkle!
- Activate the Slime: Gradually add 1-3 tsps of contact lens cleaning solution to the mixture. Add one teaspoon at a time, stirring continuously after each addition.
- Mix and Knead: As you stir in the contact lens solution, you will notice the mixture starting to pull away from the sides of the bowl and thicken. Once it becomes too hard to stir, take it out and begin kneading it with your hands.
- Adjust Consistency: Knead the slime for a few minutes. If it's still too sticky, add another tiny amount of contact lens solution (just a drop or two) and continue kneading until it reaches the desired non-sticky consistency. Be careful not to add too much contact lens solution, as this can make the slime stiff or break easily.
Tips for Successful Slime Making
- Always ensure the contact lens solution contains boric acid, as this is the key ingredient that reacts with the glue and bicarbonate of soda to form slime.
- Add the activator gradually. It's easier to add more contact lens solution than to fix slime that is too stiff from too much activator.
- Slime making should always be done with adult supervision.
- Store your finished slime in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out.
Making slime is a fun science activity for kids that results in a fantastic toy they can enjoy!
