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Pumpkin Slime Made Inside a Real Pumpkin (Pumpkin Guts Slime Recipe)

BySarah McClelland

Make slime inside a real pumpkin using pumpkin guts! This seasonal slime recipe is messy, fun, and a great way to sneak in science learning during fall. Perfect for classrooms, Halloween parties, or a cozy afternoon at home.

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Pumpkin Slime for Fall Science

Slime is the perfect fall STEM project because kids can explore how different substances interact and change. Making pumpkin slime touches on:

Supplies Needed

  • 1 small baking pumpkin
  • ½ cup clear washable PVA school glue
  • ½ cup room-temperature water
  • ¼ cup liquid starch
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • Mixing spoon
  • Knife (adults only)

How to Make Pumpkin Slime

Watch the video:

  • Cut off the pumpkin top and loosen the guts. Scoop some out, leaving enough for mixing.
  • Mix ½ cup glue + ½ cup water in a bowl until smooth.
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  • Pour ¼ cup liquid starch into the pumpkin.
  • Add the glue mixture into the pumpkin and knead until slime forms.
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💡 Tip: Rub a few drops of starch on your hands to keep the slime from sticking.

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Pumpkin Slime Science Information

  • Polymers in Glue: Glue contains PVA, a polymer made of long repeating molecules.
  • Cross-Linking: Liquid starch introduces borate ions, which tangle and connect the glue molecules.
  • Non-Newtonian Fluid: Slime flows like a liquid but stretches and holds shape like a solid.

👉 Think spaghetti: fresh noodles slide past each other, but leftover noodles stick together. That’s slime science!

Slime is a polymer experiment in action! Glue contains long chains of molecules called polymers. On their own, these chains flow like a liquid. When liquid starch is added, borate ions connect the chains together—a process called cross-linking.

The result is slime: stretchy, squishy, and both liquid and solid at the same time. Scientists call this a non-Newtonian fluid.

Recommended Grade Levels

  • Preschool–1st Grade: Sensory play and simple observations
  • Grades 2–5: Explore states of matter and chemistry basics
  • Grades 6+: Discuss polymers and non-Newtonian fluids in depth

NGSS Guiding Question

This activity connects to Next Generation Science Standards by asking:

  • K–2: What happens when different materials are mixed together?
  • 3–5: How can matter be described by its observable properties?

Pumpkin Extension Activities

  • Pumpkin Oobleck: Try a taste-safe, preschool-friendly version using cornstarch and water.
  • Pumpkin Volcano: Clean out your pumpkin and turn it into a foamy baking soda and vinegar volcano.
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Printable Pumpkin Activity Packs

Explore More Fall Science

Click on the images below for more fall-themed science activities.

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Apple Science Experiments
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Pumpkin Art Activities
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10 Apples on Top Activities

Free Pumpkin Book + Activity Guide

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41 Comments

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  8. Could you give me specific amounts of the ingredients? How much water? Glue? Liquid starch? I would love to do this with my first graders and want to make sure I have what I need!

      1. I have looked high and low for liquid starch…..any recommendations as to where to buy it?

      2. We buy it in the grocery store in the laundry aisle. You can also buy from Amazon or other big box stores.

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  12. Thank you for putting this together and including all of the helpful pictures. I am going to work on this as a project with some of my English language learners and have them make a “how to” video as a project, using your instructions as a guide. Plus, I can help them learn how to cite sources by crediting your blog! Thanks again!

  13. How many pumpkins will one bottle of the 5oz glue make?! I am wanting to do this for my kids at the Library!

    1. I would get the tiny pumpkins then and you could probably do 3 per bottle. I have not had to divide slime, but I would opt for the small gourd like pumpkins over a baking pumpkin.

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