Ever dream of being a mermaid? This is about as close as we will come no matter how much we love the ocean! Learn how to make mermaid slime perfect for an under the sea or ocean theme! This slime recipe is sure to delight the kiddos. and making slime is also cool science!
We definitely loved making our homemade ocean slime last time, so this time we thought about a mermaid slime instead! My son is particularly fond of the ocean and the beach and he has a great friend who is also fond of mermaids.
This slime has the beautiful glossy colors of the ocean with hints of purple and sparkle for the mermaid lover too. You can add seas glass, shells, colored or clear gems, and anything else to complete your under the sea theme.
Basic Slime Recipes
Our easy, “how to make” slime recipes show you how to master slime in 5 minutes or less! We have spent years tinkering with our favorite basic slime recipes to make sure you can make the BEST slime every time!
We believe slime shouldn’t be disappointing or frustrating! That’s why we want to take the guesswork out of making slime!
- Discover the best slime ingredients and get the right slime supplies the first time!
- Make easy slime recipes that really work!
- Achieve awesome slimy consistency the kids’ love!
Which Slime Recipe To Use?
We have several basic slime recipes that can all be used for this chalkboard slime recipe. You decide which one works best for you depending on what slime activator you want to use. This allows for some flexibility depending on where you live in the world! Not everyone has access to the same ingredients!
Each of the basic slime recipes below have the full step by step photos, directions, and even videos to help you along the way!
In the recipe below, we used our saline solution slime recipe. Our favorite slime recipe for the stretchiest slime around!
NOTE: We ended up making a bunch of colors for our mermaid slime and they look amazing when they begin to swirl together. Plus it’s a lot of fun to play with a huge pile of homemade slime. You don’t half to make full-size batches either to save on glue! Just make 1/2 the batch and split the ingredients in half.
Mermaid Slime Recipe
I always encourage my readers to read through our recommended slime supplies list and How To Fix Slime Guide before making slime for the first time. Learning how to stock your pantry with the best slime ingredients is easy! We show you the brands we love to use!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup clear glue
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp saline solution
- Neon Food Colors
- Glitter and Sequins
- Container, measuring cups, and mixing tools
- Optional: Shells, Gems, or Plastic Ocean Themed Items
Instructions:
TIP: Think about your favorite color combinations for a mermaid with blues, greens, and purples. We also whipped up an iridescent batch to go along with the others.
STEP 1: In a bowl mix 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup of glue well to combine completely.
STEP 2: Now’s the time to add (color, glitter, or confetti)! Remember when you add color to white glue, the color will be lighter. Use clear glue for jewel toned colors!
STEP 3: Stir in 1/4- 1/2 tsp baking soda.
Baking soda helps to firm and form the slime. You can play around with how much you add but we prefer between 1/4 and 1/2 tsp per batch. I get asked all the time why do you need baking soda for slime. Baking soda helps to improve the firmness of the slime. You can experiment with your own ratios!
STEP 4: Mix in 1 tbsp saline solution and stir until slime forms and pulls away from sides of the bowl. This is exactly how much you will need with the Target Sensitive Eyes brand, but other brands may differ slightly!
If your slime still feels too sticky, you may need a few more drops of saline solution. As I mentioned above, start by squirting a few drops of the solution onto your hands and kneading your slime longer. You can always add but you can’t take away. Saline solution is preferred over contact solution.
STEP 5: Start kneading your slime! It will appear stringy at first but just work it around with your hands and you will notice the consistency changes. You can also put it in a clean container and set it aside for 3 minutes, and you will also notice the change in consistency!
SLIME TIP: We always recommend kneading your slime well after mixing. Kneading the slime really helps to improve its consistency. The trick with this slime is to put a few drops of the saline soluti9n onto your hands before picking up the slime.
You can knead the slime in the bowl before you pick it up as well. This slime is stretchy but can be stickier. However, keep in mind that although adding more activator (saline solution) reduces the stickiness, and it will eventually create a stiffer slime.
Stretchy Slime vs Sticky Slime
Which slime is the stretchiest? This slime recipe is by far my most favorite slime recipe for stretchy slime!
A stickier slime will be a stretchier slime no doubt. A less sticky slime will be a firmer slime. However, not everyone loves a sticky slime! As you continue to knead the slime, the stickiness will lessen.
Tinkering with the baking soda and saline amounts will change the consistency of the slime to thinner or thicker. Keep in mind that any recipe will come out just a bit different on any given day. This is really a great chemistry experiment, and one of the things you will learn is that slime is meant to be stretched slowly.
The Science of Slime
We always like to include a bit of homemade slime science around here. Slime really does make for an excellent chemistry demonstration and kids love it too! Mixtures, substances, polymers, cross linking, states of matter, elasticity, and viscosity are just a few of the science concepts that can be explored with homemade slime!
What’s the science behind the slime? 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 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. Until…
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 thicker and rubberier like slime!
Picture the difference between wet spaghetti and leftover spaghetti the next day. As the slime forms the tangled molecule strands are much like the clump of spaghetti!
Is slime a liquid or solid? We call it a non-Newtonian fluid because it’s a little bit of both!
Read more about slime science here!
Get your FREE printable slime recipe cards!
Helpful Slime Making Resources
These are the best resources to look through before, during, and after making your awesome mermaid slime!
- Slime Activator List
- What is slime?
- What You Need To Make Slime
- Amazing Benefits Of Playing With Slime
- Best Slime Ideas
- How To Make Slime Less Sticky
- How To Get Slime Out Of Clothes And Hair
More Fun Under The Sea Activities
- Ocean Slime
- Sand Slime
- Salt Dough Starfish
- Glowing Jellyfish Craft
- Ocean Activites
- Wave Bottle
- Ocean Ice Melt
- Crystal Seashells
Grab the Ultimate Slime Recipe Bundle
All the best homemade slime recipes in one place with plenty of fantastic extras!
What’s Included:
- The Ultimate Slime Guide contains all the specialty recipes you or your kids want to make! You’ll find all the best tips, tricks, hints, and slime-y info in almost 100 pages!
- The Ultimate Slime Holiday Guide covers all the best holidays and seasons with special themes and slime-y projects!
- The Ultimate Borax-FREE and Taste-Safe Slime Guide shows you how to make all the best borax-free, taste-safe, and non-toxic slimes kids love, such as marshmallow slime. These recipes do not use chemical activators such as saline solution, liquid starch, or borax powder, making them truly borax-free.
- The Ultimate Slime Coloring Book is an easy-to-print coloring book kids will love! Color and design your favorite slimes!
- The Slime Starter Guide is a fact-filled information guide with everything you need to know to make the best slime ever!
- Slime Science Project Pack helps you turn slime-making into a science lesson!
8 Comments
Comments are closed.