Chia Seed Slime

I am super excited to share this chia seed slime recipe with you! We are all about the classic slime recipes over here, but I know those aren’t for everyone. My goal is to make sure that every kid has the chance to experience making homemade slime, and we now have such a wide variety to choose including new edible slime ideas.

CHIA SEED SLIME RECIPE FOR KIDS!

My expertise is in our regular slimes including our 4 basic slime recipes and all their seasonal variations. These homemade slime recipes include fluffy slime, saline solution slime, liquid starch slime, and borax slime.

We love making slime and really make it with a passion. I also am dedicated to helping you achieve the best slime ever for your kids who probably also love to make slime.

All of our basic slime recipes we have made over and over again for years, so I know everything about them! Make sure to just ask if you have questions. We are here to help!

Why Make Edible Slime Recipes?

There are a bunch of great reasons to make edible homemade slime with kids!

Maybe you need a completely borax free slime for one reason! All of the basic slime activators including borax powder, saline or contact solutions, eye drops, and liquid starch all contain borons.

These ingredients will be listed as borax, sodium borate, and boric acid. Maybe you don’t want to use or can’t use these ingredients!

MORE BORAX FREE SLIMES HERE

While this slime is completely edible, chia seeds do aid in digestion and consuming a large amount of them can cause some digestive upset. So while a few nibbles from a curious child are completely fine and nothing to worry about, they obviously shouldn’t make a meal of the whole slime! THINK TASTE SAFE!

NOTE: We DO NOT encourage eating these slime recipes as a snack as too much of the mixture may be hard on digestion. View them as taste-safe and non-toxic for kids who are likely to put it in their mouths.

Can You Make Slime with Chia Seeds and Water

While you can make this slime with chia seeds and water, you still need the addition of cornstarch to bind it together and create a more flowing slime-like consistency. Without the cornstarch, the chia seeds would simply feel like gel that you would not be able to pick up as easily.

My favorite aspect about this slime is that it changes consistency as you make it, since you have to slowly knead in the second half of the cornstarch. (Believe me, no spoon or spatula could do the job!)

We enjoy playing with the slime at the various stages of “solidity.” When it has less cornstarch it is like oobleck but thicker. You are still able to pick it up.

When it has more cornstarch, it becomes slower moving, less messy, and easier to pick up all in one clump. Of course, you can stop adding cornstarch somewhere in between – just gauge your own mess and texture preference as you go.

Now, this is a prep-ahead slime. Your chia seeds need at least half a day to absorb all of the water and become gelatinous (like Jell-O).

For a cool after-school project, I would just pop it in the fridge the night before (or the morning of) and it will be ready to go by the time you want to make your slime.

(Using hot water does speed up the soaking process, but not significantly, so I personally skip that step because it’s less kid-friendly.)

Why Do Chia Seeds Make Slime?

Doesn’t it seem crazy that these little dry seeds can produce this unique texture that is slime-like? The process is actually a mini science lesson. Chia pudding is also a popular and healthy snack to try.

Chia seeds have a unique property known as hydrophilic, which means they have a high affinity for water. When chia seeds are mixed with a liquid, such as water or juice, they absorb the liquid and swell up. This process is called hydration. As they absorb the liquid, they create a gel-like substance around the seed, resulting in a thicker, more viscous texture. You can learn more about viscosity with this marble race experiment.

How Do You Make Chia Seed Slime?

CHIA SEED SLIME RECIPE SUPPLIES

1/4 cup chia seeds
1 3/4 cups water
2-4 cups cornstarch
Food Coloring (optional)

STEP 1: Place the chia seeds in a large bowl and add the water overtop.

STEP 2: Add food coloring as desired to allow the chia seeds and the slime to become colored. Remember you are adding white cornstarch, so you will not end up with a truly bright color.

STEP 3: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge or on the counter in a safe place.

After 12-36 hours, the chia seeds will be ready to make slime.

STEP 4: Slowly stir in the cornstarch – after the 2 cup mark you will need to start kneading the cornstarch in as it will become increasingly difficult.

Use your personal preference to determine when to stop adding cornstarch but do not exceed 4 cups.

STORAGE: Store in the fridge in between play – you will need to knead additional water in to “revitalize” the slime.