Guardian’s easy DIY slime recipe for the slipperiest slime

Slime has a fascinating texture and can make for hours of fun for children of all ages. It is cheap and easy to make and provides lots of learning opportunities.

Things you will need

• 3 cups warm water
• A few drops of food colouring (optional)
• l cup soapflakes
• Large bowl
• Electric beater or hand beater
• Measuring cup Large, deep container or bucket
• Old clothes or waterproof apron for your child
• Plastic cups, bowls, funnels, jugs Spoons, sieve and a whisk

How to Do It

Encourage your child to measure three cups of water and add these to the bowl. Add food colouring (if using) and the soap flakes, then beat all the ingredients together until the soap flakes have dissolved and you are left with a foamy mixture. You can use straight away but for better results, let sit for an hour or overnight. The next day you will discover a really slimy mixture. Pour into a large container or bucket. It will keep for up to a week. Place cups, bowls, spoons and other kitchen utensils next to the container so your child can fill, pour and mix. You could put a little slime onto a waterproof flat surface (or cover a tabletop with a small tarpaulin that you can reuse). Your child can swish the slime around with their fingers making wonderful swirling patterns. What Learning is Occurring? Fine motor skills – building up your child’ finger and hand muscles, which are important for pencil grip and writing later in life Imagination and creativity Math concepts – as they count and measure ingredients Mark making (drawing and writing) opportunities if used on a clear surface Taking responsibility and following instructions Science concepts – liquid, thickening, texture and understanding that substances can be changed when you add something different.

Tips

This is a messy activity – perfect for outside fun on fine days Keep soap and slime away from eyes If your child is prone to skin irritations, this activity may be best avoided When disposing of the slime, dilute with lots of water Encourage and support children to wash their hands before and after the experience to maintain a high level of hygiene. Planning to investigate slime leading up to bath time is a good idea so that you can wash off all of the soap residue from faces, hands and bodies.

Age Considerations

** If your child/children are unwell, or anything foreign is added to the slime, we recommend disposing of the slime more regularly to limit cross contamination and maintain a high level of hygiene. • Older children might enjoy drawing pictures and writing familiar letters, names and numbers in the slime on a safe surface. Younger children will enjoy this experience too but consider the platform so that they can sit/ stand safely and not slip around on the soap. • Older children can be supported to help with the clean-up of their work and play space. Provide a cloth and a spray bottle full of water and let them discover how the additional water breaks down the soap residue

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