If you want to learn how to make slime, you need to use my favorite slime recipe. This is the best slime recipe ever! Bonus slime recipe, find it easy to make fluffy slime with only one additional slime ingredient. Everyone needs to try making homemade slime at least once, and this is it! Grab the free printable recipe and get started today.

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Making Slime With Kids

Kids love to play with stretchy, fluffy slime in their favorite slime colors! Slime making is even more fun when you add in foam shaving cream.

We have quite a few easy ways to make slime to share, and we are always adding more. Check out my favorite slime recipe ever below for two easy ways to make slime!

Oh and slime is science too, so don’t miss the great information on the science behind this easy slime below. Watch our awesome slime videos and see how easy it is to make the best slime!

Different Ways To Make Slime

All of our holiday, seasonal, and everyday homemade slimes use one of five basic slime recipes that are super easy to make! We make slime all the time, and these have become our go-to favorite slime recipes!

Each of our basic slime recipes uses a different slime activator. See our slime activator list.

Here we use our Saline Solution Slime recipe. Slime with saline solution or contact solution is one of our favorite sensory play recipes! We make it ALL the time because it is so quick and easy to whip up.

If you want to learn how to make slime with baking soda this is the recipe! Four simple ingredients (one is water) are all you need. Add color, glitter, or sequins, and then you are done!

Where do I buy saline solution?

We pick up our saline solution in the grocery store! You can also find it on Amazon, Walmart, Target (my favorite), and even at your pharmacy.

Now if you don’t want to use saline solution, you can absolutely test out one of our other basic recipes using slime activators like liquid starch 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 2 ingredients basic glitter slime recipe.

Host A Slime Making Party

I always thought slime was too difficult to make, but then I tried it! Now we are hooked on it. Grab some saline solution and PVA glue and get started!

We have even made slime with a small group of kids for a slime party! This slime recipe below also makes a great slime to use in the classroom! 

Slime Science

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 of the 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 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…

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 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! Experiment with making the slime more or less viscous with varying amounts of foam beads. Can you change the density?

Did you know that slime aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)?

It does and you can use slime making to explore states of matter and its interactions. Find out more below…

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Get your FREE printable slime recipe cards!

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Our Favorite Slime Recipe

Slime Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup Clear or White PVA School Glue
  • 1 tablespoon Saline Solution (must contain boric acid and sodium borate)
  • 1/2 cup of Water
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • Food coloring, confetti, glitter, and other fun mix-ins (see slime supplies for suggestions)
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Instructions:

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 any food color, glitter, or confetti! Remember when you add color to white glue, the color will be lighter. Use clear glue for jewel toned colors!

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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.

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! 

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How To Make Slime Less Sticky

If your slime is just to sticky to play with, try this…

  • Start by putting a few drops of solution on your hands and kneading the slime with your fingertips first in the bowl.
  • Let the slime sit for a few minutes. At the height of the slime’s chemical reaction, the slime will be its stickiest because it is very warm. It will also be super stretchy!
  • Add a drop or two of saline solution to the slime, but don’t add too much! As the chemical reaction cools, the slime will become too rubbery if you add too much solution.

You will love how easy and stretchy this slime is to make, and play with too! Once you have your desired slime consistency, time to have fun! How big of a stretch can you get without the slime breaking? Remember to apply pressure slowly for maximum stretch.

Try standing on a chair and hold the blob of slime. Will it stretch to the floor without breaking? How does gravity play a role in this activity?

Bonus Recipe: FLUFFY SLIME

Fluffy slime uses a very similar recipe to the saline solution slime above but with one simple change! You are going to remove the 1/2 cup of water and add 3 cups of foam shaving cream! Learn how to make slime with shaving cream for fluffy, stretchy fun!

Watch the slime video first!

STEP 1:  Measure 3-4 heaping cups of shaving cream into a bowl. You can also experiment with using less shaving cream for different textures!

STEP 2: Now’s the time to add food coloring and/or scented slime oils! Remember when you add color to white glue, the color will be lighter. Use clear glue for jewel toned colors!

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STEP 3:  Next, add a 1/2 cup of glue to the shaving cream and gently mix.

STEP 4:  Add 1/2 tsp of baking soda and mix.

STEP 5:  Add 1 tablespoon of the saline solution (the slime activator) to the mixture and start whipping! Once you get the mixture thoroughly whipped and incorporated, you can pull it out with your hands!

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. 

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How Long Does Slime Last?

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.

If you want to send kids home with a bit of slime from a camp, party, or classroom project, I would suggest packages of reusable containers from the dollar store or grocery store or even Amazon. For large groups, we have used condiment containers and labels as seen here.

We have the best resources to look through before, during, and after making your slime! Make sure to go back and read the slime science too!

More Cool Slime Recipes To Try

Helpful Resources For Making Slime

You will find everything you ever wanted to know about how to make slime right here including how to get slime out of clothes! If you have questions, just ask me!

Try more fun homemade slime recipes right here. Click on the link or on the image below.

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Grab the Ultimate Slime Guide Bundle

All the best homemade slime recipes in one place with plenty of fantastic extras! This is your complete printable guide to making slime.

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4 Comments

  1. Hi, I made this slime, and used all the right ingredients – was a horrible disaster.

  3. Pingback: Summer Science Camp Ideas And Activities | Little Bins for Little Hands
  4. Pingback: How To Make Slime Less Sticky | Little Bins for Little Hands

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