So Long, Summer of Slime

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When fall rolls around, most people are looking forward to its cooler weather, football, and everything pumpkin. I, on the other hand, am beginning to mourn the loss of summer. Don’t get me wrong, I like all those fall things … but I’ll take a long, hot, sunny day at the beach and a pina colada over a pumpkin spice latte any time. However, this year there is one thing about this summer that I am not as sad to see fade away: slime. That said, with Halloween approaching, slime can be a great activity for the month of October!

The first time my 11-year-old, Gracie, asked if she could make slime, I did what most moms I know do these days — I looked it up on Pinterest. I could not believe how many different types of slime there were! I love a good craft/activity/something different to break up the monotony, so I was in. I did not anticipate how much slime I was in for. 

If your kids are too young or you somehow just completely missed the slime train, lucky you! Just kidding. Slime is actually incredibly cool and super fun for kids. It just also happens to be one of those things that parents secretly (or not so secretly) love to hate. Since we have made so much slime, we learned very quickly what to do and what not to do. Here are some recipes and tips you can use for some kid-loving, mom-tolerating (ha!) fun times with slime. We’ve picked a Kid’s Favorite Slime, a Mom’s Favorite Slime, and an Extra Bonus Slime. 
 

Kid’s Favorite Slime: Fluffy Slime

This is a kid’s favorite because it’s big and messy. Don’t worry, Mama — we have figured out how to best reign in the mess and still keep it fun. 

 
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Recipe:

Stir after adding each ingredient.

  • 3-4 cups of foaming shaving cream
  • 1/2 cup of non-toxic school glue (or one regular size bottle)
  • 1/2 tsp of baking soda
  • Food coloring (Add this after the first three ingredients for the best color)
  • Saline solution (1 TBSP at a time until it doesn’t stick to the side of the bowl)
  • A few drops of Baby Oil to reduce stickiness

Tips before getting started:

  • Use the biggest bowl you have and a spatula. Kids will be tempted to use their hands before it’s done mixing. You can knead and mix it by hand, but to reduce messiness, have them wait until it’s all done. If they get their hands in it and it’s sticking to everything, add some saline solution and/or baby oil and it will come right off. The slime will stick to itself so you can use it to pick up any stray pieces. 
  • Use glitter or glitter glue at your own risk. The theory is that the glitter will stick to the glue, but in our experience, it doesn’t. It’s not a major mess, but we found that a little bit of glitter gets loose. If you hate glitter, avoid the glitter glue. 
  • Establish some ground rules. Our rules are no slime on the floors, walls, or furniture ever. It’s washable glue but it’s sticky and has food coloring in it. We like our walls the color that they are. The same thing applies to clothes. 

Mom’s Favorite Slime: Kid-Friendly Slime

This slime is as mess-free as slime can be. I love this one by What’s Up Moms because Gracie can make this one all by herself. It’s the same recipe as fluffy slime minus the shaving cream. This one requires less saline solution. You’ll probably only need one or two tablespoons. The Kid-Friendly Slime is much smaller (and in my opinion, more manageable) than the Fluffy Slime. If you want it to be as big as the fluffy slime, double the recipe.

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Safety note: This is called Kid-Friendly Slime because it doesn’t include Borax. Even though some people may argue that Borax makes the best slime, it is my opinion that it’s probably not safe for kids to play with. While the glue is non-toxic, we all know it’s never a good idea to inhale too many fumes. Use your discretion and consider limiting the amount of time your kids spend playing with their slime.

Extra Bonus Slime: Starburst Slime

This is slime you can eat! We made this slime during a sleepover with Gracie’s sweet friend, Sara Kate, a few months ago. They are still talking about it! Disclaimer: This is very messy and requires parental involvement and supervision.

Recipe:

  • 1 bag of Starburst Candy
  • 1/4 cup Powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup Cornstarch 

We quadrupled this recipe so we would have leftovers and Sara Kate could take some home with her.

  1. Separate the Starburst by color and unwrap
  2. To melt the Starburst make a double boiler by putting the Starburst in a glass bowl or pot and heat over a pot of boiling water. Stir often to keep from burning.  
  3. Mix powdered sugar and cornstarch and spread out on table. Put the melted Starburst on the sugar-cornstarch mixture and let cool. After it’s melted it will be VERY HOT so be careful and make sure no one touches it until it has cooled. It’s going to be very sticky (notice how messy the pot and spoon are) but will be less sticky after it’s cooled. We found we needed more sugar-cornstarch mix to make it easier to manipulate. 
  4. Mix with powder, knead, have fun, and eat! Use a rolling pin, butter knife, or cookie cutter to make fun shapes. If it’s too sticky, add more powdered sugar-cornstarch mix. If it starts to get too hard to play with after it’s cooled, you can put it in the microwave for five to ten seconds. After heating, make sure it’s not too warm to the touch before you play with it.
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Slime is not strictly a summer activity. It’s fun year round, and a quick search for slime on Pinterest, Facebook, or Instagram will prove the trend isn’t dying down anytime soon. Check out this story about a 13-year-old girl who is selling her slime online. I know Gracie’s next request to make slime is looming — and I’m okay with that — but thank you fall, school, and pumpkins for providing some distraction and giving me a small slime break.

 

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Kristin M
Kristin has lovingly called Birmingham or the surrounding areas home all her life. She and her husband, Brad, were married in 2015. That day she also became stepmother to Brad's two daughters, Kaylan (16) and Gracie (10). Kristin and Brad have been trying to have a baby for almost 2 years. Being a new wife, new stepmom, and struggling with infertility has introduced Kristin to a new set of challenges in a short amount of time. She is enjoying learning about and settling into her new roles. When she's not busy figuring out her new normal she loves cooking, baking, and eating. She also loves to travel, watch a good tv series, read, and write. She is looking forward to connecting to other Birmingham Moms, Stepmoms and Moms-to-be.