Looking for an easy slime recipe with liquid starch that actually works? This homemade slime recipe uses just 3 simple ingredients to make stretchy, squishy slime in only a few minutes.
Liquid starch slime is one of the easiest ways to introduce kids to basic chemistry and polymers because they can see how materials change when combined. As the glue and liquid starch mix together, they form long, stretchy polymer chains that create the slime texture kids love.
This simple slime recipe is perfect for classrooms, camps, STEM activities, summer learning, sensory play, and hands-on chemistry fun at home.
What Kids Learn From Making Slime
Making slime is more than just sensory play. This activity introduces important chemistry concepts in a fun and hands-on way.
Field: Chemistry—Polymers
Grades: K–5
Concepts Explored: Polymers, non-Newtonian fluids, material properties, viscosity, chemical reactions, cross-linking reactions.
Kids Can Explore:
- How liquids change into new materials
- Why slime stretches and flows differently than water
- How polymers form long chains
- What makes slime thick, stretchy, or rubbery
- How changing ingredients affects texture
Supplies Needed
- ½ cup washable PVA glue (white or clear)
- ½ cup water
- ¼–½ cup liquid starch (such as Sta-Flo)
- Food coloring (optional)
- Glitter, confetti, foam beads, or sequins (optional – best with clear glue)
💡 Explore our favorite slime supplies here.
How to Make Liquid Starch Slime
How to Make Slime With Liquid Starch
Step 1
Add the glue and water to a bowl and stir until completely combined.
Step 2
Mix in food coloring, glitter, or other fun slime mix-ins if desired.
Step 3
Slowly pour in ¼ cup liquid starch while stirring continuously.
Step 4
As the slime begins pulling away from the sides of the bowl, remove it and knead with your hands until smooth and stretchy.
If the slime still feels sticky after kneading, add a small amount of additional liquid starch.
💡 Tip: Add a few drops of liquid starch to your hands before kneading to reduce stickiness.
👉 This recipe works perfectly for lifting and blowing bubbles — try the full how to make slime bubbles activity here.
What Is Liquid Starch?
Liquid starch is a laundry product traditionally used to stiffen fabric. In slime recipes, it works as a slime activator because it contains borate compounds that react with glue to form slime.
Not all starch products work the same way. Spray starch and homemade starch alternatives usually do not contain enough borate to activate the glue properly.
Slime Science Explained
Making slime is chemistry in action!
When you combine glue and liquid starch, the borate ions in the starch react with the polyvinyl acetate (PVA) in the glue. This creates long connected polymer chains that transform the mixture from a liquid into stretchy slime.
A polymer is a material made of repeating chains of molecules. Many everyday materials are polymers, including rubber, plastic, gelatin, and even DNA.
Because slime can behave like both a solid and a liquid, it is considered a non-Newtonian fluid.
Why Does Slime Stretch?
The long polymer chains in slime can slide past each other slowly, allowing the slime to stretch and flow. But when pulled quickly, the chains resist movement and the slime can snap or break.
Changing the amount of activator changes how tightly the polymer chains connect:
- More activator = thicker, firmer slime
- Less activator = softer, stretchier slime
💡 Explore more slime science and polymer experiments here.
Slime Activators Comparison Chart
| Activator Type | Texture | Difficulty | Borate Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid Starch | Stretchy | Easy | Sodium Borate |
| Saline + Baking Soda | Soft and stretchy | Medium | Sodium Borate |
| Borax Solution | Rubbery | Medium | Borax Powder |
| Contact Lens Solution | Slightly rubbery | Medium | Boric Acid |
🔎 All effective slime activators include a borate compound that reacts with glue to form slime.
Experiment With Slime Chemistry
Turn this slime recipe into a simple science experiment by changing one variable at a time.
Try Testing:
- More vs less liquid starch
- White glue vs clear glue
- Warm water vs cold water
- Different slime mix-ins
- Stretch distance between slime recipes
Ask Questions Like:
- Which slime stretches the farthest?
- Which slime feels the softest?
- What happens when you add too much activator?
- How does the slime texture change?
How to Store Slime
- Store slime in an airtight container or zip-top bag
- Keep away from direct sunlight or heat
- If slime becomes stiff, knead in a few drops of warm water
- Properly stored slime usually lasts 1–2 weeks
Grab the Free Slime Science Starter Lab
Want to turn slime-making into a real chemistry activity?
This free printable Slime Science Starter Lab introduces kids to polymers, slime activators, non-Newtonian fluids, and hands-on slime investigations through simple STEM challenges and observation activities.
Inside the free guide:
- Slime science explanations
- Investigation prompts
- Observation pages
- STEM questions
- A 5-day slime chemistry lab plan
Slime FAQ
Why is my slime sticky? Usually, the slime needs more kneading time or a small amount of extra liquid starch. Add activator slowly to avoid making the slime rubbery.
Why did my slime turn rubbery? Too much liquid starch creates too many polymer cross-links, making the slime stiff instead of stretchy.
Can I use spray starch instead of liquid starch? No. Spray starch does not contain the correct borate compounds needed to activate slime.
Does liquid starch contain borax? Most liquid starch products contain sodium borate or similar borate compounds that react with glue to form slime.
What glue works best for slime? Washable PVA school glue works best because it reacts properly with slime activators.
Can I make homemade liquid starch? No. Homemade starch alternatives usually do not contain the borate compounds needed for slime-making.
Is slime safe for kids? Yes, with adult supervision and proper handwashing after play.
Slime Troubleshooting Tips
Even simple slime recipes sometimes need small adjustments depending on the glue, humidity, or amount of activator used. These quick guides can help fix the most common slime problems.
Common Slime Fixes
- How to make slime less sticky
- How to soften stiff slime
- Why slime gets rubbery
- How to fix overactivated slime
- Why slime breaks instead of stretches
👉 Look through the how to fix slime troubleshooting guide!
Helpful Slime Guides
- Slime science explained
- How to make stretchy slime
- Best slime activators explained
- Best glue for slime
- Slime safety tips
More Slime Chemistry Activities
👉 Go ahead and turn it into a slime science fair project.
Stretchy & Soft Slimes
Texture-Based Slimes
STEM Slime Experiments
Polymer Science Activities
Take Slime Further
Once kids make their first batch of slime, they usually want to start experimenting:
- What makes slime stretchier?
- Why does one slime feel rubbery?
- What happens if you change the activator?
- Which slime recipe works best?
That’s where slime becomes real chemistry.
Printable Slime Science Investigation Pack
Want to turn slime-making into a real chemistry investigation?
This printable Slime Science Investigation Pack helps kids explore polymers, slime activators, non-Newtonian fluids, and material properties through hands-on STEM activities and guided experiments.
Inside you’ll find:
- Slime experiment prompts
- Investigation worksheets
- Observation pages
- Variable testing charts
- Slime science activities
- Vocabulary pages
- STEM extensions
- Science fair ideas
Perfect for classrooms, homeschool science, STEM clubs, camps, and screen-free summer learning.
👉 See the Slime Science Investigation Pack here.
Our only suggestion is that you do not get it on clothing. Have children wear smocks or old shirts you don’t mind getting stained or gooey. Although the glue will wash out I’m not 100% certain the coloring will.
Mine didn’t work.. I made home made liquid starch and LePages wood glue, which seems very close in consistency to the white, however, it remained liquid and did not form into slime.
You need to use craft gloo
This is perfect! We are starting the unit on states of mayer for science in my 4th grade class. Our textbook had directions on how to makes slime using borax. I think this will be perfect to make as well so my students can compare and decide which type of slime they think is better. Thank you for sharing!
Awesome! Happy experimenting. We have tried both! Our bat slime is with borax but all our others are with liquid starch.
I accidently purchased elmers all purpose glue … it held together as long as we were playing with it . Super smooth .. but next morning it had separated completely anyone had this happen before
I haven’t but I think because the other is washable it mixes with the water better. My best guess but definitely give it another try!
we just mixed up 3 batches of this at the same time, but all 3 are still complete liquid and runny, im assuming this isn’t how it should be. there would be no way to even mix by hand at this point. I used dollar tree glue, and im guessing this must be why. any suggestions to fix it? ive got 3 little valentines party goers here that are going to be really sad
Sorry so late in the reply. Unfortunately dollar tree glue is not the same 🙁 It just doesn’t work.
I tried making this with my high school science class today. We used a stock solution of 1% starch instead of liquid starch from the store and it turned out looking like.. melted milkshakes! Any advice for us?
I am sorry I don’t know other than it may have not been concentrated enough. Great science experiment though to try it again!
I am thinking about making slime as an activity in my kindergartener’s class. Do you think I could mix the water and glue the night before and let the kids mix in the glitter/starch themselves the following day? Or will it not turn out right if the glue/water mixture sits overnight?
I’d love to know the answer to this I was going to ask the same thing.
My comments can get out of order on my dashboard where I reply. Email me any specific questions if you like. getmovingfitness@gmail.com
I have mixed the water and glue the night before but left in a large tub so I can shake up before pouring it into a small cup. It worked fine. I did notice on a following day (I teach a science elementary lab) that it was runny. I believe my starch amount is off. I tried less starch since it seemed so much was left in the bowl but now think not enough starch ( equal parts to the water/glue) is the reason. Any thoughts?
It should definitely be equal parts or just there about. I don’t know possibly if temperature or altitude might have an affect. Did you remove it to a dry container? Did you use Elmers Glue? Starch well shaken? I would love for you to try the recipe on the spot and see what happens.
I did this with our 3 year olds today and for convenience I mixed the water and glue in a water bottle for easy transport. I prepped everything the night before and I’m happy to report it worked just fine. No problem having those two things mixed ahead of time. We loved it. My pumpkin was a little juicier than I expected so I’m going to add a bit more starch to it to see if it will firm up a bit.
Just mixed mine up —- very liquid-y. Any thoughts? Will it thicken with time?? I wouldn’t begin to “mix this with my hands” at this point. ????
Double check your measurements. Also did you use Elmers Washable School Glue? A different glue can have different results. It should thicken immediately.
Is liquid starch the same as liquid laundry detergent? That’s what I used and used elmers and it’s not working. Email me please
No liquid starch is not liquid laundry detergent. Feel free to reach me at getmovingfitness@gmail.com
I was curious as to how this would hold up in a container? Does it get watery?
It holds up great in reusable plastic container. Gets better with time. Many hands may make it dirty faster. We can keep ours for a month.
Ours turned out super sticky. Is that how it’s supposed to be or did we do something wrong. The only way to get it off our fingers is to wash them with warm water. We used the same liquid starch but CraZArt washable school glues vs Elmer’s.
The glue is the problem! Try Elmers next time.
CraZart works perfect!! Add more borax or liquid starch.
I found CraZart to Sta-Flow to be almost a 1-3.5 ratio. YMMV
If your slime comes out too sticky, try adding a tiny bit more liquid starch. Sometimes, the recipe isn’t totally exact… You need to tweak it depending on what it needs. 🙂
What type liquid starch do you use? I tried making this with homemade liquid starch and it totally didn’t work – apparently the trick is in one of the chemical components. I can buy liquid starch here (Bulgaria), but apparently there are a few types that are quite different in terms of ingredients. Thanks!
Lin-it brand starch is our super markets. You can also use Stay Flo.
I love all of the slime ideas! 🙂
Thank you!
Hi, I just love this idea! I live in an isolated area with no liquid starch at any of our stores. I googles how to make your own and it is not working with this recipe. Any tips?
Well you can try some other kind of slimes. Do you have borax powder handy? We have a recipe for that. You can also check out our metamucil slime!
Why can i not see the recipe
There is a black box that says get your slime recipe here. Click on that.
If you scroll down towards the bottom you should see step by step photos.
About how much does one recipe make?? I’m thinking this would be awesome for valentines gifts. My kiddo’s class has strict allergy rules for snacks, so I’m trying to think outside the food world. Thanks!
I would say you could have 3 nice portions from one batch!
can not wait to try this out, made slime with water food coloring and cornflour adding sand, objects etc. So it will be good to feel and see if the reactions the same. thank you. johannax
the kid eating tho (mmm)
Please search our list of edible slimes if you have kiddos who might want to taste this! We have plenty of options!
Hi! I was curious as to how long slime lasts? Just interested for storage reasons! Thanks.
We have left ours out on our table for a couple weeks but we are continually moving it around and playing with it! Keep it loosely covered!
Hey ,
I want to make sure where Liquid starch or borax is available in New Zealand? And how much is needed if you use borax?
You can substitute contact solution in lieu of borax if you have trouble finding it. It contains boric acid and works. I mix in a little (like 1 t to 4oz clear glue) baking SODA first then squirt in a little contact solution at a time. When it’s only slightly sticky let it rest for a bit then add more if still sticky. Knead well throughout.
Thanks!
I do have a borax slime alternative slime recipe you should see a link to on the main slime recipe page.
I teaspoon borax and I cup hot water, I live in us so I don’t know.. you can order it off of amazon though.. hope this helped 🙂
How do I store the slime?
We keep ours in a plastic food container loosely covered. We have had it over a month if it is not getting dirty from many hands!
Well keep it in a container easy!
I am a teacher and I like to plan ahead can I put the slime in a container and keep it for about a week in half?
I have had luck keeping slime is a plastic container loosely covered for up to a month! Every now and then I take it out and play with it, so you might want to check on it once in awhile!
It last forever but the color will turn once you have played with it for a long time.
Keep it in an airtight box, and that should help preserve the Slime xx
It lasts a long time if you knead it and keep it in a ziploc bag or a container. Slime is just like taking care of a pet, they need lots of attention to last a long time.
I hope this was helpful.
It will usually last for 1-2 weeks if stored in a cool dry place! No fridges just store in a place like a cupboard-