Three simple household ingredients are all you need for hours of fun. Optional colors and mix-ins allow for endless creativity!
The day before Coach Suzie came to my house to shoot the video for Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken, we were reviewing some details when she mentioned her love of slime. How we segued from chicken to slime, I do not recall, but it immediately conjured up fond childhood memories.
“Do you have a recipe?” I asked?
“I do!” Suzie replied! “Several”
Those who have followed me for some time likely know that I have yet to outgrow a great kids project. From Homemade Play Dough and Cinnamon Ornaments to Pinecone Bird Feeders and edible Tic Tac To Boards, creative moments can be equally uplifting for adults and kids.
I asked Suzie if she wanted to share her recipe, with a quick mention that it needed to be foolproof and not too sticky or mess-producing. Understanding my desire to not only shield countless parents and grandparents from kitchen disaster, but to provide a truly foolproof recipe that kids would enjoy, Suzie spent several hours that afternoon testing her various slime recipes to determine the best one. Her husband Jeff helped judge.
(Midway through the testing process, Suzie got stung by a bee and developed a serious allergic reaction that landed her at urgent care. Thankfully she was okay, and Suzie-style, went right back to slime testing, itchy and fatigued from a triple dose of Benadryl, but committed to the cause!)
What’s so great about slime?
As a longtime coach and teacher, Suzie’s drive stems from her desire to see kids engaging in productive activities that stimulate their mind and body. Silly as slime may seem, it builds fine motor skills, is great for tactile learners, introduces basic chemistry, stimulates the senses, and provides a creative, hands-on alternative to screen time that can be enjoyed alone or with others.
As we made and played with the slime, Suzie and I couldn’t stop laughing. And laughing, as we know, is good for physical and mental health. There’s much research that shows laughing improves mood, reduces stress, and triggers a variety of healthy physical and emotional changes in the body.
So, playing with your kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, and young neighbors may just be as good for us as it is for them!
After Suzie taught me the ins and outs of slime making, I rounded up supplies to make a few batches with my nieces (and my grown-up sons…as I said, you’re never too old!). This is just a fraction of the glue choices (glow-in-the-dark, color changing, clear, and glitter glue to name a few) and mix-in options. The jumbo glitter is fantastic, and there are endless colors and shapes. The multi-packs are nice options, and one little packet is just the right amount for a single batch of slime. Beyond that, you can use contact lens solution or Elmer’s activator (they now sell scented varieties!) and shaving cream can be used for Suzie’s fluffier slime variation. Seriously, this is so much fun!
The ingredients:
Glue: Slime takes on a life of its own, based on what kind of glue you use—white, clear, or colored—and if you add mix-ins. You can further control the texture based on how much of the “activator” you use or if you choose the shaving cream option, which produces fluffy slime.
Contact lens saline solution or activator: Some slime recipes call for Borax, a laundry room item that is toxic. This recipe avoids that with a most clever substitute—contact lens solution! Elmer’s sells a bottle of “liquid magic,” and you may use that instead. But saline solution is inexpensive, will last for endless batches of slime, and many people have it on hand.
Important: Your brand of contact lens solution must have boric acid and sodium borate in the ingredient list. This is what interacts with the glue to form the slime (like this brand).
Baking soda: Just the regular stuff in the yellow box.
Water: From the tap. If you choose the shaving cream option, you’ll use three cups of the cream instead of water.
Optional add-ins: Food coloring is an option, although we prefer using colored glue for less mess and no threat of messy spills and stains. For different textures and looks, you can add glitter (the bigger, confetti-like glitter avoids what Suzie refers to as “fairy dust everywhere” – and there are endless options in terms of shape, color, and holiday themes). Tiny Styrofoam balls or beads may also be used, essential oils are perfect for scented slime—and I once had green slime with little rubbery worms mixed in. 🪱
Helpful hint for extending the life of your slime: My niece, Evie, discovered this tip and it’s a good one! If after playing with the slime for a while you decide you’d like it to be stretchier – or your slime is old and not as pliable as it once was – mix in one or two pea-size blobs of toothpaste. To best gauge the effect (it works!) allow time for the first blob to be fully worked in before adding more.
Caution: Slime is not edible, as its primary ingredient is glue, and always be careful of choking hazards with very young children.
This endlessly entertaining slime recipe requires just three ingredients, but there are countless ways to customize the slime. Colored glue is a great way – there are metallic shades as well as glitter, clear, glow-in-the-dark, and even color-changing glue. More fun details are shared throughout the post and in the recipe card.
Slime is fun for all ages! In this photo, I am stretching shaving cream slime, Evie is playing with clear glue slime with jumbo sprinkles (see below as well), and Grace has a blob of turquoise glitter glue slime.
Don’t miss Evie’s tip for super stretchy slime, which also works to rejuvenate old slime.
Suzie’s Best Slime Tips:
- Use Elmer’s glue for best results.
- If the slime is too sticky, add another squirt of contact solution.
- Don’t panic or fret if you think you are making a mess, slime cleans up easily with warm water.
- Store your slime in an airtight container or zip-top bag. It will last for days!
- Have so much fun stretching and squeezing your slime! Pretend you’re making taffy, roll it into long “noodles,” or make pretzel shapes and bubbles. There are so many possibilities. Use your imagination!
- So many more helpful hints and fun options are included in the post above and within the recipe card. Enjoy!
If you make this recipe, please comment and give it a 5-star review if you deem worthy. The feedback is always appreciated! 💚
SlimePrep Time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 batch/about a cup-sized blob
Homemade slime requires just 3 everyday ingredients, takes a few minutes to make, and will entertain kids for hours!
Ingredients
- 1 (4- to 5-ounce) bottle Elmer’s glue (see Tip 1)
- ¼ – ½ cup water (see Tip 2)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1- 1½ tablespoons contact saline solution or slime activator, plus an extra squirt or two as needed (see Tip 3)
- Optional mix-ins: Food coloring (see Tip 4); glitter (classic or fun shapes); mini Styrofoam balls or beads; essential oils for fun scents; one or two pea-size blobs of toothpaste (for stretchier slime)
Instructions
- Pour the glue into a bowl, and then mix in water, starting with ¼ cup. (Tip: Water makes the slime stretchier. Coach Suzie uses ½ cup; ¼ cup has worked best for me. If you add the higher amount and having trouble mixing it all in, squeeze any lingering glue from the container–or simply pour off the excess water.)
- Stir in the baking soda and saline solution or slime activator, starting with 1 tablespoon, and mix until combined. If the slime is too sticky, add another squirt or two of the saline solution or activator. The more you add, the thicker the slime will be. The less you add, the slimier it will be.
- Stir until you can no longer stir easily, and then knead with your hands. The slime will be sticky at first but that will go away as you knead. If not, add more saline or activator. I keep adding squirts of saline (or pea-size drops of activator) until the slime doesn’t stick to hands.
- Play! Pull apart, stretch, and have lots of fun. Store the slime in an airtight container, jar, or zip top bag.
Notes & Tips• The slime will wash off the bowl, spoon, and your hands very easily.
• For thicker slime, add more saline solution. For a slimier texture, add less saline.
• Recipe makes one nice blob of slime, about 1 cup. May double or triple the recipe as needed.
Optional Mix ins:
• Food coloring
• Scented oils
• Glitter (jumbo glitter is far less messy than regular glitter)
• Mini styrofoam balls
Tip 1: So many glue choices! While you may use the original white school glue, clear is fun and works well with the larger glitter (looks great and avoids the fine dust of traditional glitter getting everywhere). The colored glue is really fun too, and with that, there’s no need to use messy food coloring. Be sure to use Elmer’s glue, as some lesser quality glues may not work as well.
Tip 2: For “fluffy slime,” mix in 3 cups of shaving cream instead of the water.
Tip 3: Activator is sold in craft stores (Elmer’s sells a small bottle called Magical Liquid), although contact lens solution works just as well. Just look at the label and make sure the saline solution contains boric acid and sodium borate. I have noticed that the activator leaves a slight residue on your hands (which washes off), that the lens solution does not.
Tip 4: If you wish to use food coloring, stir it into the glue and get the color you like before adding the saline, as it’s harder to mix in when the slime begins to thicken. Also, in this case, avoid using wooden spoons or other things that will stain. And for more color choices, gel food coloring is available at many craft stores and online. Look for Wilton brand.
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- 1 (4- to 5-ounce) bottle Elmer’s glue (see Tip 1)
- ¼ – ½ cup water (see Tip 2)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1- 1½ tablespoons contact saline solution or slime activator, plus an extra squirt or two as needed (see Tip 3)
- Optional mix-ins: Food coloring (see Tip 4); glitter (classic or fun shapes); mini Styrofoam balls or beads; essential oils for fun scents; one or two pea-size blobs of toothpaste (for stretchier slime)
- Pour the glue into a bowl, and then mix in water, starting with ¼ cup. (Tip: Water makes the slime stretchier. Coach Suzie uses ½ cup; ¼ cup has worked best for me. If you add the higher amount and having trouble mixing it all in, squeeze any lingering glue from the container–or simply pour off the excess water.)
- Stir in the baking soda and saline solution or slime activator, starting with 1 tablespoon, and mix until combined. If the slime is too sticky, add another squirt or two of the saline solution or activator. The more you add, the thicker the slime will be. The less you add, the slimier it will be.
- Stir until you can no longer stir easily, and then knead with your hands. The slime will be sticky at first but that will go away as you knead. If not, add more saline or activator. I keep adding squirts of saline (or pea-size drops of activator) until the slime doesn’t stick to hands.
- Play! Pull apart, stretch, and have lots of fun. Store the slime in an airtight container, jar, or zip top bag.
• The slime will wash off the bowl, spoon, and your hands very easily.
• For thicker slime, add more saline solution. For a slimier texture, add less saline.
• Recipe makes one nice blob of slime, about 1 cup. May double or triple the recipe as needed.
Optional Mix ins:
• Food coloring
• Scented oils
• Glitter (jumbo glitter is far less messy than regular glitter)
• Mini styrofoam balls
Tip 1: So many glue choices! While you may use the original white school glue, clear is fun and works well with the larger glitter (looks great and avoids the fine dust of traditional glitter getting everywhere). The colored glue is really fun too, and with that, there’s no need to use messy food coloring. Be sure to use Elmer’s glue, as some lesser quality glues may not work as well.
Tip 2: For “fluffy slime,” mix in 3 cups of shaving cream instead of the water.
Tip 3: Activator is sold in craft stores (Elmer’s sells a small bottle called Magical Liquid), although contact lens solution works just as well. Just look at the label and make sure the saline solution contains boric acid and sodium borate. I have noticed that the activator leaves a slight residue on your hands (which washes off), that the lens solution does not.
Tip 4: If you wish to use food coloring, stir it into the glue and get the color you like before adding the saline, as it’s harder to mix in when the slime begins to thicken. Also, in this case, avoid using wooden spoons or other things that will stain. And for more color choices, gel food coloring is available at many craft stores and online. Look for Wilton brand.