As I am putting this together, I realize how close we are to the Solar Eclipse of 2017 happening! How cool is that? So today, I am going to show you how to make galaxy slime with kids. Slime making is awesome and mixing slime colors can make for some really awesome effects, like galaxy slime. Homemade slime is an awesome kids activity that you must try!
LEARN HOW TO MAKE GALAXY SLIME!
GALAXY SLIME!
Slime lovers be warned! I took way tooooo many photos of our galaxy slime and feel I need to share them all! So you will find 22 pictures of awesome slime below. I keep all our exact slime recipes on separate pages or else I would have far too many photos to share at once.
Below you will see photos from beginning to end of the slime making process as well as cool action shots. Keep in mind once you mix all the colors and have fun making your own galaxy, you will end up with a lovely space slime to play with as all the colors will have mixed together.
Look for the black recipe boxes toward the bottom! Enjoy and make galaxy slime with kids this week!
WHAT COLOR IS GALAXY SLIME?
This is a great question and adds a whole other element to our slime making activity! We did some research of what galaxies might look like on Google!
I asked my son what he thought the colors of a galaxy might look like, and he was super excited to check out real photos. There is always one or two ways you can extend the learning behind a slime making activity! Check out this cool galaxy craft too.
If we were to make this galaxy slime again, I would make even more black slime! So you may want to make a double full batch. You will end up with a mountain of slime!
To get the mix started, try laying out each slime as seen above! It’s a similar method to our cotton candy slime.
What colors would you make for your galaxy?
SLIME SCIENCE
What’s the science behind the slime? The borate ions in the slime activator {sodium borate, borax powder, or boric acid} mixes with the PVA {polyvinyl-acetate} glue and forms this cool stretchy substance. This is called cross linking!
The glue is a polymer and is made up of long, repeating, and identical strands or molecules. These molecules with flow past one another keeping the glue in a liquid state.
The addition of water is important to this process. Think about when you leave a gob of glue out, and you find it hard and rubbery the next day.
When you add the borate ions to the mixture, it 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 is thicker and rubberier like slime!
HOW TO TURN SLIME INTO A SCIENCE EXPERIMENT
SLIME MAKING SUPPLIES
I have finally compiled a list of recommended slime supplies for you to use as well as a printable slime supplies checklist! Click here to see all the details and print one out to take along to the store.
GALAXY SLIME INGREDIENTS:
Elmer’s Clear Washable School Glue {3-4 bottles}
Water
Slime Activators: {this will depend on the recipe you choose to use, click on black boxes just below this picture. Here we used liquid starch which can be found in the laundry detergent aisle.
Food Coloring {McCormicks brand works fine and comes in both classic and neon colors as well as black!}
Glitter/Iridescent Confetti Stars {optional but fun!}
Bowls, Spoons or Craft Sticks, Measuring Cups
*We used a separate plastic cup and craft stick {dollar store} to mix each color for easy clean up!*
BASIC SLIME RECIPES
Each of these recipes will work just fine for this project. I chose the liquid starch slime recipe, but the saline slime recipe and borax powder recipe will work too! Click on boxes below.
**Note: I made a 1/2 recipe for each of the colors and a full recipe for the black slime.**
HOW TO MAKE GALAXY SLIME
SLIME MAKING TIPS
For some, slime might take a little practice, differences in climates might affect the slime making process. I am in New England, USA. Also, it is a recipe.
It’s important to follow the recipe, but it’s also important to keep in mind that sometimes you have to try a recipe a couple times to get the hang of it.
Slime is super easy to make and we have been making slime with these recipes for quite awhile now. Make sure to read the directions carefully and no substituting! Elmer’s glue seems to work the best although I have NO affiliation with them.
If your slime is sticky, you may need more of the slime activator to reduce the stickiness. Letting the slime sit in a dry container for 5 minutes after making helps the process as well as washing your hands before kneading. Continual kneading of the slime after making it will reduce the stickiness. Slime gets better with time!
Store your slime is a resealable container and it can last for weeks! Probably a lot longer then you want it to last!
You definitely want to make a big portion of the black slime. We added both silver glitter and leftover iridescent confetti stars from this cool iridescent slime we made this past week.
The galaxy slime we chose to make from our internet slime had hints of fuchsia…
mixed with hues of purple….
with a gorgeous orange swirl and turquoise blue. My son was amazed by the beauty of it all.
You can see I took a whole lot of photos of this cool slime activity! I love to show how it shimmers, stretches, mixes, and oozes. Is it a liquid or a solid? Slime science is chemistry and it’s cool.
If you have the space and the patience, how far can you get the slime to stretch? In my opinion the saline slime recipe is the stretchiest!
Swirling slime colors will eventually form one huge mound of deep space slime.
Make a little slime ball and see if it bounces! Do you think it will?
Learning how to make galaxy slime or any themed slime is a great activity to do with the kids. We have been making slime for over 3 years now and have tons of themes for seasons, holidays, movies, and more. We have had slime parties and play dates. You can make slime party favors too.
MAKE GALAXY SLIME FOR OUT OF THIS WORLD FUN!
We don’t just do slime here! Click on the images below for science fun for kids.
MORE FUN SCIENCE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS:
dianne reagan says
i have a three year old daughter and we love to do arts and crafts together. if you could please send any recipies or ideas for a three old that would be great.. we loved the slime still trying to find time to make the galazy slime but i have conquered the fluffy time. we both had a great time thank yo for all the time and effort you put in your pages.
littlebins says
Search preschool science activities! We loved playing with baking soda and vinegar at that age! We don’t do much in the way of arts and crafts here, mostly science.