7 Educational Ways You Can Have Fun with Slime

What better way to have hands-on fun with science concepts than to create your own slime? Here are 7 educational ways your kids can have fun with slime.

Using slime in your homeschool can take on many forms. For example, it’s a great activity to keep little hands busy while you read aloud during morning time. Or, right after lunch, make up a batch and let your kids play while you read the history lesson, for example. Playing with this fun Non-Newtonian fluid is equal parts science and art. While there are many science topics that can be covered when making slime, maybe the best part is the natural curiosity that is piqued with a simple batch of slime.

Simple DIY Recipe

Here’s a simple DIY slime recipe to get you started. The only ingredients you need are liquid starch and white glue. This easy recipe is perfect for your kids ages 2-9.

What exactly is happening scientifically when you make slime? When you add liquid starch to glue, it causes a reaction to the polymers. This cross-linking causes the polymer molecules to stick to each other. And this is what we know as slime!

Add texture with Sand

If you’d like your slime to have some fun texture, then add sand to your recipe. All you need to do is start with equal parts school glue and water to make your base. Then, add in some sand. Once that’s mixed in well, add in your liquid starch to see the magic happen.

Sand slime could be a fun component to a beach-themed sensory bin.

Make It Fluffy

Shaving cream and a few other common household products form the base for this fluffy slime. Consider making a batch while you put on an audio book or some music for some sneaky learning. You’d be amazed what kids hear and retain while their hands are busy playing with slime.

Pot O’Gold Slime

Mark this project down for your St. Patrick’s Day themed homeschool plan. Liquid watercolor and gold glitter are the secret ingredients for making this gold slime.

Magnetic Slime

 

Creating your own magnetic slime is a fabulous hands-on way to let your kids ages 9-16 experiment with chemistry. Using the iron oxide powder will get messy, so this DIY is probably not best for younger kids.

Your kids and teens can experiment with the amounts of iron oxide, glue, and liquid starch they use and see how the magnets react to each variation.

Changing Colors

This slime kit will teach your kids about thermochromism – that is, slime that changes color when it changes temperature! Who said that chemistry can’t be fun?

Your kids ages 9-16 will explore concepts like polymers, chemical reactions, and thermochromism.

Glow-in-the-dark Bouncy Balls

Finally, your kids will think you’re super cool if you tell them that today’s science lesson includes creating bouncy balls that glow in the dark! Using a borax and glue base, you’ll add fluorescent paint to add in the color. Then, with a blacklight (UV Light), your fluorescent bouncy balls will emit a fun glow.

This would make a super fun project to do with your homeschool co-op or at a birthday party! Hands-on science activities are always a hit.

Want a simpler way to help your kids learn with slime? Check out this Chalkboard & Glow Slime Kit that combines science and art for ages 9 and up. Your kids will thank you.

Other Hands-On Science Activities

Koala Crate – Introduce preschoolers to science concepts with hands-on learning and fun (ages 3-4)

Kiwi Crate – Discover age-appropriate science, art, and more (ages 5-8)

Tinker Crate – Interactive science and engineering kits delivered every month (ages 9-16+)