You took the leap and decided to learn how to make homemade slime with saline solution. There’s a moment in this recipe when you wonder if it’s really going to come together, if it’s actually going to work. Your kids are wondering the same thing. Then it happens! You made the most awesome, perfectly stretchy slime recipe in a matter of minutes. The crowd goes wild, and you’re a hero!
How To Make Stretchy Slime
This homemade slime recipe below is my #1 SLIME RECIPE out of all our basic slime recipes we share with you below. It’s stretchy, and it’s slimy!
You can also use it to make a ton of themes for holidays and seasons or use it as a base for more unique slimes like fluffy slime, color changing slime or even fruit scented slime.
Towards the bottom of this page, you will find fun variations related to different seasons and holidays that we tried with this slime. Actually almost all the slime themes you see featured on our website can be used with this recipe. I will leave the creativity up to you!
But first, let’s talk about 3 things that make for a thick stretchy slime and one tip for softening slime to make it stretchy again!
Use The Right Recipe
Truly, our slime recipe with saline solution makes for the most super stretchy slime you could imagine! That’s the recipe we share with you further on. We also have alternative recipes if you have another slime activator that you want to use. But the slime will not be as stretchy!
Use The Right Amount Of Activator
Too much activator and your slime will become thicker! A good example of this is our flubber slime recipe.
However, if your slime looks too sticky, and like it is not coming together start by adding a small amount of activator and kneading it well.
Stretch The Slime Slowly
Ok you have made a batch of our stretchy slime! It really is the best! But if you want to get the biggest stretch you can from your slime, pull it slowly! Even use gravity if you can! Too quickly and you will break the slime apart.
Why not give it a try!
How To Make Slime Stretchy Again
This works well if you are re-using slime that has been stored.
TIP: Knead the slime well with your hands to warm it up, loosen the bonds and make it stretchy again!
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 stretchy 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 has the complete step-by-step photos, directions, and even videos to help you along the way!
We used our number one saline solution slime recipe. This is our #1 most-viewed slime recipe, and we love it. Awesome stretchy slime in no time is my motto!
Helpful Slime Making Resources To Get Your Started
These are the best resources to look through before, during, and after making your awesome fruit-scented slime! We talk more about slime science below, too.
- 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
A Bit Of 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 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 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 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 a 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 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…
Stretchy Slime Recipe
Slimy Supplies:
- 1 tablespoon Saline Solution (this must contain the ingredients labeled sodium borate and boric acid)
- 1/2 cup Clear or White Washable PVA School Glue
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Food Coloring and/or Glitter and Confetti
- Bowl, Spoon
- Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons
- Storage Container (for storing slime)
Instructions:
Now for the fun part! Follow our step by step instructions below to make this amazing stretchy slime the kids will go crazy for!
STEP 1: Mix 1/2 cup of PVA washable school glue and 1/2 cup of water in a bowl.
STEP 2: Mix in 1/2 tsp baking soda.
Baking soda is a thickener. For an even oozier slime try 1/4 tsp and for a thicker/putty like slime add a 1 tsp to see what happens. Makes a fun science experiment!
STEP 3: Mix in food coloring and glitter.
STEP 4: Mix in 1 TBL of saline solution.
STEP 5: Whip up the mixture until you can no longer stir it and it has formed a slimy blob.
STEP 6: Knead until smooth and stickiness has disappeared.
TIP: Add a few drops of saline solution to your hands before picking up slime and kneading!
You can troubleshoot your slime recipe by clicking here. Double-check check you have the right ingredients and you are spending the time needed to knead your slime well!
How To Store Slime
I get a lot of questions regarding how I store my slime. Usually, we use a reusable container either plastic or glass. If you keep your slime clean it will last for several weeks. You may see a crusty bubbly top when you open the container the next day. Gently tear that off and discard it for a super stretchy slime.
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. For large groups, we have used condiment containers as seen here.
Favorite Slime Themes
Ok, you’ve made a super stretchy slime now try one of these fun themes below. Click on the links for the full recipes.
Hopefully, it will give you creative ideas for your own awesome slime themes. Holidays, seasons, and special occasions can all be made out of homemade slime!
- Fluffy Slime
- Cloud Slime
- Clear Slime
- Glitter Slime
- Glow In The Dark Slime
- Galaxy Slime
- Butter Slime
- Magnetic Slime
Grab the Ultimate Slime Recipe Bundle
All the best homemade slime recipes in one place with plenty of fantastic extras!
This slime was amazing after it was just made, we used clear glue for ours. However after sitting for several hours in a sealed container the water separated and I have a hard-ish blog of polymer and a big soupy mess of glittery water… any ideas as to why that happened? I have another I made using no water and less contact solution that held together well and didn’t separate but wasn’t as satisfying to play with when first made. Would love any ideas on how to keep our clear glue/contact lens slimes from separating out.
Are you using contact solution or saline solution. I highly recommend saline solution!