Monster Slime!

Ok, so this idea is ALL OVER the internet and so this post is far from original, but if you haven’t tried making slime yet, you really should!  It is super squishy fun, and not bad as far as the mess goes!

We made our slime using a recipe from Teach Preschool.  Just mix equal parts of clear Elmer’s glue and liquid starch, add a couple drops of food coloring, and stir!

Monster Slime!We used 1/4 cup of each, and I thought that it was a slightly skimpy amount, so for our final color we did 1/3 cup of each.  That worked well.  Liquid starch can be purchased in the laundry aisle of some stores.  I found mine at Kroger (TX).  Walmart and Target did not have it, so I’m thinking that a full-service grocery store would probably be the place to check.  Or you can always order Sta-Flo liquid starch from Amazon!  (affiliate link)

We used a craft stick for stirring (and a disposable bowl) so that we wouldn’t have much to clean up.

Monster Slime!The slime starts solidifying after just a couple minutes – you can see it starting to gel in the center of the bowl.  We stirred for a while, then the boys switched to squishing with their hands.  After the mixture was good and “squished,” they went to wash their hands, while I dried off each blob with a paper towel to soak up the excess moisture.  Once you get past the initial stirring and the food coloring is mixed in, it won’t stain hands.  We played on cookie sheets, however, just in case it stained our counter!

The more you play with the slime, the better it gets.  It’s amazingly stretchy, and it even bounces!

Monster Slime!We added some googly eyes to make slime monsters!

Monster Slime!And then Gresham made an octopus, which I thought was really cute.

Monster Slime!The boys also pretended that their Lego guys were stuck in the slime.

Monster Slime!The slime entertained the boys for over an hour on a rainy, cold afternoon.  They had been restless and fighting with each other, and this was the perfect project to keep everyone busy.  Plus, once it was made, they didn’t need me to help, and I was able to get a few things done!

We stored our slime in ziploc baggies.  It was even better the second day!  I’m not sure how long it lasts, but I’m thinking it will last awhile.

For more gooey fun, check out our homemade silly putty.  The silly putty recipe yields a goop with a different texture, and you can make prints in it, whereas the slime doesn’t do that.

13 Comments

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  1. Allison Apr 4, 2013

    We LOVE making slime, and I love the spin you put on it. So fun!

    Reply
  2. mel Apr 4, 2013

    Hi there. This sounds amazing. I was just wondering what elmers glue is. Is it like pva which it's what we have in the UK, a thick white glue? Thanks in anticipation :-)

    Reply
    1. Sarah Apr 5, 2013

      Elmer's glue is white, and I think it's the same as pva glue. However, it also comes in a clear version, and that is what we used for this project. According to what I've read on other blogs, the white glue will work just fine in this recipe, but the slime won't look as translucent as what we made. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  3. Jaclyn F. Apr 5, 2013

    Just made this and it didn't come together. I don't know if the glue is old or what, it looks like guts tho so my 3 yr old is having a blast!

    Reply
    1. Sarah Apr 5, 2013

      If it's too wet, try drying off some of the excess moisture with a paper towel. That might help. Ours was kind of like "guts" at first, but the more we played with it, the better it got. Glad he's still having fun!

      Reply
  4. Lindsay Apr 6, 2013

    This is such a great idea! I love the lego mini-figures you incorporated! As a mother of 4 boys, I must say I love your site!! Thanks so much for you creative ideas!

    Reply
  5. Lisasjm Apr 7, 2013

    We love slime! I never thought to make monsters from it - thank you!!

    Reply
  6. Daisy Jul 22, 2013

    You might consider Discount School Supply for great quality bulk stuff like clear glue. They have a gallon of the stuff for less than $12. I've bought water color sets and many many other things to experiment with my Littles. http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product=16951&category=4359&bid=530&CategorySearch=&Brand=&Price=

    Reply
  7. Michelle Sexton Aug 9, 2013

    We found liquid starch at the store today (walmart!) and my son is sooo excited to make this!!

    Reply
  8. Donna Coffield May 28, 2014

    Why isn't there a print page that you can print on one page (no pictures) .... this would take 6 pages.

    Reply
    1. Stella Aug 13, 2014

      I find this is true for a lot of things I want to print and do not need all the pictures. I just right click to indicate the parts I want and then go to the edit/copy on my computer. Then I open my word program and hit paste. Not only do I get just the part I highlighted, I also get to enlarge the print, which is really nice!! I can also type in any additional information I have in my head or edit the original material any way I care to.

      Reply
  9. Keira Jun 5, 2014

    This is awesome! We just made some (and got our starch and glue at Walmart)…at first it was wet and very stringy. We used paper towels to dry it off, and my son continued to work/play with it. Now it is no longer stringy, and we are getting ready to make a stop motion video using it and Legos. :)

    Reply
    1. Sarah Jun 8, 2014

      Fun idea to do a video!!

      Reply
  10. Kristina Jun 18, 2014

    Love this stuff! The boys had a blast with it! We made purple but I'm thinking red, green, and blue are next :) Thank you

    Reply
  11. Tayla Roy Jul 24, 2014

    Do you know how long this keeps? Is this a use once/throw away slime or can it be kept in a container and used multiple times?

    Reply
    1. Sarah Jul 24, 2014

      Ours kept for several months in ziploc baggies. Definitely not a one-time use!

      Reply
  12. Sara Jackson Nov 16, 2014

    Hello,
    I am a frugal mother of 5 very active and adventurous girls. I know this is a website geared primarily for boys, but I just spent at least 30 minutes with my almost 9 year old daughter exploring your science experiments.My girls are requesting we make the slime recipes for sure! We love our girly time with dress up, dolls and other creative play but these so called boy activities are also sooo much fun and interesting especially when brothers are lacking in our home. Thank you so much for all your work in putting this together.

    Reply
    1. Meowth Dec 10, 2016

      It really is for everybody really so not just for boys because I enjoy these too

      Reply
  13. beastboy Jan 8, 2016

    i live in India which glue should i use ? can this be made without food coloring??? ?????????????????

    Reply
    1. Sarah Jan 10, 2016

      Yes, you can make it without food coloring. Do you have PVA glue in India? If so, that should be the same thing. If not, I don't know what to tell you! We have friends who are originally from India, and I will ask them next time I see them. :-) I hope it works for you!

      Reply

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