To learn how to make slime you have to start with the right slime ingredients. Even the best recipe won’t work if you don’t use the right slime supplies. Ingredients for making slime are easy to find if you know what you are looking for! Stock your pantry for afternoons filled with slime making. Here’s our list of recommended slime supplies.
RECOMMENDED SLIME SUPPLIES
HAVE YOU MADE SLIME YET?
- Has your kid asked you to make slime yet?
- Would slime making be an awesome science demonstration for your class?
- Looking to do something totally cool like homemade slime for camp with the kids?
- Are you confused by which slime ingredients you need to buy?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you just have to try making slime. If you are a slime master, maybe you will find some new fun mix-ins!
THE RIGHT SLIME INGREDIENTS
It’s not enough to know how to make homemade slime, you need to have the right stuff! That’s precisely why I have put together an easy list (free printable included see the bottom of post) of our recommended slime making supplies.
We have about a dozen must-try slime recipes that have lots of cool variations you can try and some do need an extra special ingredient beyond the basic ingredients. Stock your pantry and never have a dull moment with the kiddos!
No more having to print out a WHOLE blog post for just one recipe!
Get our basic slime recipes in an easy to print format so you can knock out the activities!
—>>> FREE SLIME RECIPE CARDS
SLIME SUPPLIES
Click on the pictures below to check out these items on Amazon. These are affiliate links for your convenience. I receive a small percentage of any items purchased through Amazon which helps support this site! I am not compensated by the brands themselves (like Elmer’s), we just like using them!
NOTE: Not listed below is our favorite saline solution. We order ours from Target, Up and Up brand for sensitive eyes. Our grocery store also stocks Lin-it brand liquid starch, so we use that one.
Use the following supplies to make our 5 BASIC SLIME RECIPES quickly and easily. Once you master the basics, you will be able to design 100’s of creative slime ideas.
We cannot guarantee results from products we don’t use.
*SLIME SAFETY: Slime is a chemistry experiment and should be treated with respect. Do not substitute slime ingredients and do not change our recipes. If you have sensitive skin, consider wearing disposable gloves or trying a taste safe recipe instead. Read more on slime safety
BEST GLUE FOR MAKING SLIME
If you do not have access to this type of glue, look for a PVA washable school glue or a glue specifically made for slime. Something to note about the glue is the difference in viscosity between white and clear glue and even the glitter or color glues.
Clear glue will make a thicker slime, therefore you may want to go easier on the amount of activator until you are comfortable with it. Although it may feel stickier, to begin with, if you add too much it will become more rubbery.
White glue will make a looser slime! The new colored glues and glitter glues are also thick, and we actually developed a recipe just for them, see it here.
SLIME ACTIVATORS
The three main slime activators are borax powder, liquid starch, and saline solution/baking soda. You can learn more about each individual activator, click here to learn more about each one.
NOTE: We are always asked if you can make your own saline solution or liquid starch. The simple answer is no, but you can read more about that here.
NOTE: Recently we have used Elmer’s Magical Solution for making slime. While it does the job, it was not a favorite among my kid testers. We still prefer to use a good saline solution instead. You may need to add more of the solution than recommended.
FUN SLIME ADD-INS
The items below are so of the basics we like to keep on hand for making homemade slime. Food coloring, glitter, and confetti are staples in our slime lab. All the popular slime recipes kids love will need a few of these mix-ins to achieve cool textures such as fishbowl, crunchy, or cloud slime!
UNIQUE SLIME IDEAS
Our unique slimes use an extra special ingredient for a really cool texture or slime activity. Check out a few links to the exact recipes below, so you can see how we use these ingredients.
TRY THESE SLIMY RECIPES
- Magnetic Slime Recipe
- Sun Activated Beads Slime
- Color Changing Slime
- Soft Clay Slime
- Crunchy Foam Beads Slime
- Fishbowl Slime
- Glow In The Dark Slime
- Easy Scented Slime
Get our basic slime recipes in an easy to print format so you can knock out the activities!
—>>> FREE SLIME RECIPE CARDS
SLIME STORAGE & PARTY FAVOR IDEAS
Not only does slime last quite a while if stored properly, but it’s also a great party activity or party favor. Check out our DIY slime making kit!
INGREDIENTS FOR SLIME MAKE A GREAT SLIME KIT!
Make sure to check out our 5 Basic Slime Recipes to Get You Started. Grab a handy container and fill it with all the essential slime ingredients! Now you will be able to make cool slime recipes any day you want!
Make sure to start off your slime making journey with the best-recommended supplies for making slime, and you are one step closer to making the best slime every time. Plus we are always available for questions and will answer them as best as possible.
BEST RECOMMENDED SUPPLIES FOR MAKING HOMEMADE SLIME RECIPES!
No more having to print out a WHOLE blog post for just one recipe!
Get our basic slime recipes in an easy to print format so you can knock out the activities!
—>>> FREE SLIME RECIPE CARDS
Emily arson william
August 21, 2017 at 11:18 amThis is not OK! IT DIDNT WORK! I am so NOT HAPPY. I buyed all the ingredients and it didn’t work!it made my kitchen A mess! This all your or whoever’s FAULT!
littlebins
August 21, 2017 at 11:27 amYou are welcome to email me and we can go over any of the recipes! I am happy to help as these recipes have worked for so many people. getmovingfitness@gmail.com
Lyn
October 15, 2017 at 11:54 pmHi there – can I please check is baking soda a substitute for borax? Many thanks! Lyn
littlebins
June 12, 2018 at 11:22 pmNO it is not a substitute.
Alex Hansen
February 2, 2018 at 5:51 pmWould you mind adding the recommended salt-to-water ratio for the saline solution? I don’t see that here. Obviously I could just make that up, but if you’ve had success with a particular ratio, I’d love to hear it.
Thanks for all you do! This site was exactly what I had in mind when I was thinking of experimenting with different slime recipes.
littlebins
February 3, 2018 at 8:53 amYou can not use a salt water saline solution for making slime! You need a saline solution that contains sodium borate and boric acid which are the main slime activators! Thanks for thinking of us and feel free to email sarah@littlebinsforlittlehands with any specific questions as I can answer them faster!
Lynne Myer
March 26, 2018 at 4:05 amIn South Africa we dont get liquid startch. Does that mean I have to stick to one of the other recipes?
littlebins
June 1, 2018 at 10:16 pmProbably if it’s not available to you unless you can order it and have it shipped to you.
Angela Osorio
June 5, 2018 at 2:21 pmI spent %990 on supplies and followed all direction to the T and no slime was made very upsetting for me and my kids!
littlebins
June 5, 2018 at 6:38 pmI welcome emails to sarah@littlebinsforlittlehands.com plus you can also check out my live videos on Facebook and watch me make the slime using these ingredients. You might just need some trouble shooting with someone!
Thomas Russell
December 19, 2018 at 12:15 amThis is an awesome resource. Thanks so much, we have used many other “recipes” but all of yours are top notch and foolproof. If someone is not getting good results it is because they are not using the correct ingredients or proportions of ingredients that you suggest. If they are using a PVA school glue (stick with Elmer’s), and a proper activator in the correct ratios these recipes are rock solid, definitely take the time to know what activators do. A few tips…make sure you are patient and let the chemical reaction take place, if your slime is really wet after 7 minutes of stirring or needing then you may need a little more activator but don’t make any decisions before 10 minutes. Activator is easy to add but near impossible to take away…If you are using saline and baking soda for an activator; be sure to use saline that is usually marked “for sensitive eyes”, it must contain sodium borate and boric acid. If you use starch as your activator Use liquid laundry starch not instant spray starch. If you use borax dilute in to a thick slurry first. With the activators it is easy to add more after you work it throughly and it is still too sticky…It is much harder to “soften”…if it is too hard or brittle no amount of water or lotion can save you. Have fun and enjoy this science experiment opportunity. Get your base recipes down and then start adding your colors, glitters, and “extras”. Once again, a great site! Thank you so much