How to make gloop (oobleck)

You simply have to try this one. It's just such fun and kids will find gloop fascinating and will play with it for ages. What is gloop (aka oobleck)?

It's a weird mixture that feels like a solid when you pick it up, but then melts away to liquid again.

In science-speak, it's known as a 'non-Newtonian fluid'. For older kids, it can be a gateway to discussions about the different properties of matter, while for younger kids (and grown-ups for that matter), it's just a whole heap of fun!

Here are the step by step instructions:

You will need:

A tray with sides – This one is great for messy play and you can find it at Amazon for £10.84.
Cornflour
Water
Food colouring (optional) – Find this assortment of 10 at Amazon for £10.99.
Biodegradable glitter (optional) – We really like this one that comes in a variety of colours and you can find it here at Amazon for £24.95 (100g).

How to make gloop (oobleck)

1. Pour some cornflour into a large tray.
2. Slowly pour in some cold water. You need to play about with how much to add – you want it to be thin enough to move with your hands but not watery. If you like, add in some food colouring and biodegradable glitter, too.
3. Now the fun begins. Get your hands in and play with the gloop. It is magical as you can pick up chunks which are almost solid ...
4. And then they fall like water back into the mixture.

Safety tips

Make sure your child doesn't inhale any of the cornflour, as it could irritate their lungs. If you're concerned, you can always make the gloop yourself, then bring your child over to play with it.

Don't let your child eat the gloop either; a tiny taste shouldn't do any harm, but too much could cause a stomach upset.

Ways to play with gloop

Classic gloop play

You'll be amazed at how much fun both you and your child can have just playing with this curious substance. What happens when you try to squeeze it? Or poke it? Squeeze it slowly, then quickly – does it feel different?

Bring on the toys

Grab some washable toys (bath toys, stacking cups and sieves are all great options), and see what happens if you put them in the gloop. Do they sink or float? Can you move them through the gloop as easily as you can move them through water?

Talk it through

For younger kids, this is a great chance to expand their vocabulary. Ask if the gloop feels soft or hard, runny or solid, sticky or smooth, wet or slimy, cold or warm.

Getting scientific

If you have an older kid who's a budding scientist, this is the perfect opportunity to talk about the difference between liquids and solids.

Gloop behaves the way it does because the particles of cornflour are suspended in the water.

When you squish it, the particles clump together and act like a solid. But when you let go, the particles spread apart again, and it acts like a liquid.

Dancing oobleck?!

Want to take your gloop play to the next level? If you have a subwoofer in your house, you can even make it dance!

Just pop the tray of gloop on top of the subwoofer and play something with a heavy bass track (you may need to try a few different tracks until you find something with the right frequency).

The gloop should soon start jumping and dancing to the music.

Looking for more genius ways to pass the time with your kids? Look no further!

Related stories

100 activities if you're stuck indoors with kids

CHAT: activities to do at home

More messy play ideas

This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small amount of money if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our articles and reviews are written independently by the Netmums editorial team.