Instant snow isn’t just for winter craft activities! It’s now an AWESOME mix-in for any of our base slime recipes. We will show you how to make our cloud slime with instant snow that the kids will go crazy for! Homemade slime is about experimenting and creating new creations, like this cool instant snow slime! Plus, you can grab a free printable slime recipe sheet below.
HOW TO MAKE CLOUD SLIME WITH INSTANT SNOW!
WHAT IS CLOUD SLIME?
There are so many cool things you can do with slime! From adding gold leaf to crunchy beads to soft clay to chalkboard paint and instant snow. This new slime recipe will be sure to please!
The best cloud slime starts with the right slime ingredients. The cloud slime ingredients you will want to have are…
- White PVA glue
- Liquid Starch
- Food Coloring
- Instant Snow
It is the addition of instant snow to our basic liquid slime recipe that gives cloud slime its unique texture. Read on to find out how to make cloud slime.
WHERE DO I BUY LIQUID STARCH
The liquid starch in the slime recipe below acts as the slime activator. We pick up our liquid starch in the grocery store!
Check the laundry detergent aisle and look for the bottles marked starch. Ours is Linit Starch (brand). You might also see Sta-Flo as a popular option. You can also find liquid starch on Amazon, Walmart, Target, and even craft stores.
But what if I don’t have liquid starch available to me?
This is a common question for those who live outside of the United States, and we have some alternatives to share with you. Click on the link to see if any of these will work! Our saline solution slime recipe works well for Australian, Canadian, and UK readers.
If you don’t want to use liquid starch, test out one of our other basic recipes using saline solution or borax powder. We have tested all these recipes with equal success!
NOTE: We have found that Elmer’s specialty glues tend to be a bit stickier than Elmer’s regular clear or white glue, and so for this type of glue, we always prefer our two ingredient basic glitter slime recipe.
HOW DO YOU STORE SLIME?
Slime lasts quite a while! I get a lot of questions regarding how I store my slime. We use reusable containers in either plastic or glass. Make sure to keep your slime clean, and it will last for several weeks. I love the deli-style containers.
If you want to send kids home with a bit of slime from a camp, party, or classroom project, I suggest reusable containers from the dollar store, grocery store, or even Amazon. We have used condiment containers and labels for large groups, as seen here.
THE SCIENCE OF CLOUD SLIME
We always like to include a bit of homemade slime science around here! Slime is an excellent chemistry demonstration, and kids love it too! Mixtures, substances, polymers, cross-linking, states of matter, elasticity, and viscosity are just a few science concepts that can be explored with homemade slime!
What’s slime science all about? The borate ions in the slime activators (sodium borate, borax powder, or boric acid) mix with the PVA (polyvinyl acetate) glue and forms this cool stretchy substance. This is called cross-linking!
The glue is a polymer of long, repeating, and identical strands or molecules. These molecules with flow past one another and keep the glue liquid. Until…
You add the borate ions to the mixture, and it then starts to connect these long strands together. They begin to tangle and mix until the substance is less like the liquid you started with and thicker and rubbery like slime! Slime is a polymer.
Picture the difference between wet spaghetti and leftover spaghetti the next day. As the slime forms, the tangled molecule strands are much like a clump of spaghetti!
Is slime a liquid or solid?
We call it a Non-Newtonian fluid because it’s a bit of both! Experiment with making the slime more or less viscous with varying amounts of foam beads. Can you change the density?
INSTANT SNOW FOR CLOUD SLIME
You will need to make your instant snow for your cloud slime. Since brands may vary in instructions, follow what’s written on your container.
Making instant snow is crazy cool, so ensure the kids see the process. I guarantee it will create quite a stir! Add food coloring for fun colors!
Instant snow is fun to play with and is all cool science. Take a few minutes and enjoy the snow before mixing it into your cloud slime!
Cloud slime has a signature look which is seen in the texture and appearance of the slime.
CLOUD SLIME RECIPE
This recipe makes a single batch. You can easily double or triple the recipe if you want to make a larger amount of slime.
CLOUD SLIME INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 Cup of Clear or White PVA School Glue
- 1/4 Cup of Liquid Starch
- 1/2 Cup of Water
- Food coloring
- Instant Snow
HOW TO MAKE CLOUD SLIME
STEP 1: In a bowl add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup glue and mix well to combine completely.
STEP 2: Add food coloring and mix. We used blue food coloring for our cloud slime.
Alternatively, you can mix food coloring into the instant snow at Step 4.
STEP 3: Slowly pour in 1/4 cup of liquid starch and stir well.
You will see the slime immediately start to form and pull away from the sides of the bowl. Keep stirring until you have a gooey blob of slime. The liquid should be gone!
For a single batch of slime, 1/4 cup of starch does the trick. If you think it’s still too sticky, continue to add a few drops at a time until you find the consistency you want.
SLIME MAKING TIP: If your cloud slime still feels too sticky, you need more activator or liquid starch. Be careful, and add just a little at a time until you get the consistency you want. If you add too much liquid starch your slime will become stiff and rubbery. You can always add, but you can’t take away.
STEP 4: Make your instant snow by following the instructions on the package. Add food coloring to the water if you haven’t used it already.
STEP 5: Add about 1/2 cup of the instant snow to your slime by kneading it in. Enjoy the satisfying mix!
Now for the fun part of slime recipe and the most satisfying part too! It’s time for you to add the instant snow to your slime! Go ahead and add a few handfuls. I usually stick with about a 1/2 a cup, but that’s up to you.
My son has enjoyed adding more and more until we have a crazy thick cloud dough. Again, slime making is science and it’s all about experimenting with the process and the ingredients.
Mix it up and enjoy the slimy fun!
Your slime may become less firm as you add more and more snow! You can add a few drops of activator (liquid starch) to reach your desired slime consistency if you would like!
Playing with slime can be messy! Check out our tips for how to get slime out of clothes and hair!
More Cool Homemade Slime Recipes
Even the biggest slime-making fan will enjoy these homemade slime recipes and more!
- Glow in the Dark Slime
- Chalkboard Slime
- Butter Slime with Soft Clay
- 90’s Foil Slime
- Taste Safe Marshmallow Slime
Printable Ultimate Slime Guide
Want access to all of these recipes in an easy-to-download guide, plus tons of extras? You need our Ultimate Slime Guide. We tested the recipes so that you can enjoy them!
You can add the snowwet but some recipes say to add the water until the snow is dry but that’s just my opinion I thought this was very useful
Tried this recipe twice as written and it did not work. Had to use WAY more liquid starch.
Hi, it can be dependent on the brand. Sta Flo is weaker than Lin-It.
You don’t say how to make the instant snow, i bought instant snow and the label says easy to follow directions but there are no directions anywhere on or in packaging. You say you put directions below, but I don’t see them anywhere… so frusterating
Hi! Different brands have different directions, so readers need to refer to the specific directions on the brand that they buy. My directions are for the slime plus the instant snow that you make according to what you have purchased. Maybe the brand has a website with that information if it’s not on the packaging. Thank you!