Pumpkin Slime with a Real Pumpkin

Pumpkin slime in a pumpkin made from pumpkin guts! I wish I had done this sooner. At the first hint of the Fall season, this pumpkin slime has been top on my list, and we have been just waiting for pumpkins to come out in stores.

Check out our slime recipe below for how to make pumpkin slime quickly and easily. Stop at the grocery store for the ingredients and you have a great Fall STEM activity for your kiddos to enjoy!

MAKE PUMPKIN SLIME WITH A REAL PUMPKIN!

BEST PUMPKIN SLIME

This little pumpkin has been patiently sitting and waiting as well as my son who loves to make slime. Make pumpkin slime in 5 minutes or less with any of our classic homemade slime recipes!

Some of our favorite pumpkin activities:

• Pumpkin volcanos
• Erupting jack o’ lantern
• Pumpkin geoboard
• Pumpkin fairy house

and many more fun pumpkin activities. BUT we haven’t made pumpkin slime! Till now!

Here, I  have used my favorite slime recipe!  Liquid starch slime is quick and easy to make, and we have found so many fun themes to add with it. Trust me, it’s easy!

THE SCIENCE OF PUMPKIN 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 form 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 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! 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 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!

Click here to get your free Pumpkin STEM challenges!

PUMPKIN SLIME RECIPE

Also, this is a great Halloween activity for kids. However, for even more fun why not carve a face in the pumpkin!

** For a taste safe alternative to our liquid starch slime recipe below, check out our pumpkin oobleck recipe.

SUPPLIES: 

• Small baking Pumpkin
• 1/4 Cup Liquid Starch {laundry detergent aisle}
• 1/2 Cup Clear PVA Washable School Glue
• 1/2 Cup Water
• Measuring cup, spoon, and knife {adults only!}

HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN SLIME

Step 1: Cut the top off the pumpkin.

Step 2: Make room in the pumpkin by loosing up all the seeds and guts. I did take some out to make room but the whole idea is to incorporate the parts of the pumpkin into the slime.

Step 3: Mix 1/2 cup room temp water with 1/2 cup of clear Elmer’s Washable School Glue in a separate bowl. {Other brands of glue do not work as well. You can use white but you won’t see as much of the pumpkin}. Stir to fully incorporate.

Step 4: Measure a 1/4 cup of liquid starch and pour directly into the pumpkin.

Step 5: Pour the glue and water mixture into pumpkin.

Step 6: Get your hands in there and mix. The image below shows all the ingredients in the pumpkin.

SLIME MAKING TIP:   We always recommend kneading your slime well after mixing. Kneading the slime really helps to improve it’s consistency. The trick with liquid starch slime is to put a few drops of the liquid starch 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 liquid starch reduces the stickiness, it will eventually create a stiffer slime.

Below is the immediate reaction of the glue and starch! It doesn’t take long to make slime!

Enjoy playing with your pumpkin slime! Wash hands thoroughly when you finished playing with your homemade slime recipe. Also make sure to wipe down surfaces thoroughly.

HOW LONG WILL SLIME LAST?

I have not tested the length of time this slime will last. My homemade slime recipes  can last over 4 weeks if placed in a plastic storage container with lid.

I am sure this slime will last a few days but will probably not be something you want to keep for very long. You can always clean the pumpkin out and then use it for a pumpkin volcano the next day!

BONUS PUMPKIN ACTIVITIES

This is a great opportunity to engage the senses and talk about the parts of the pumpkin too. With some of the leftovers, why not set up a pumpkin investigation tray for an easy science activity.

Tip over your pumpkin and watch the slime ooze out! Make a pumpkin squish bag for mess free play.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Fall Fluffy Slime

This was fabulous Fall sensory and science fun! I wish I had made this pumpkin slime sooner. Still plenty of Fall season left to try your own. Everyone loves slime even the adults because most of all, it is super fun to make and play with.

PUMPKIN SLIME IS A MUST TRY FOR THE FALL SEASON!

Click on the pictures below for more fun with pumpkins and fall STEM activities.

Pair you pumpkin science activities with classic pumpkin themed books for fall science and STEM