How to make slime: 5 quick and easy recipes (one without glue)
Polly Logan-Banks
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Kids don't just love playing with slime – they love making it, too! Because it's so much fun and the kids are crazy about it, we'll tell you the quickest and easiest recipes to make slime yourself, including glitter slime, galaxy slime, fluffy slime, glow-in-the-dark slime and no-glue slime.
Everyone kids is crazy about slime right now. There's hardly a single child in the UK who doesn't love playing with the goo. And kids especially love making slime themselves, so here's how you can do it easily and with few ingredients.
In addition to a simple video instruction, we'll show you various slime recipes with and without glue. Even glowing slime is there!
Video: how to make DIY slime
How to make slime: the basic recipe
Making slime requires relatively few ingredients, and you'll already have a lot of it at home.
To make slime you need:
- craft glue (solvent-free and water-soluble) - We like Elmer's Glue. See more details here at Amazon.
- liquid detergent
- food colouring - You can buy multipacks of 20 colours here at Amazon.
- a glass of warm water
- a bowl
When you have everything to hand, you can start making slime right away. Grab the craft glue (about a glass full) and mix it with the warm water.
Now add the food colouring. Mix a small pinch of powdered food colouring, or a few drops of liquid food colouring, into the glue-water mixture. If the colour is not intense enough for you, add a little more food colouring until it looks just how you want it.
Finally, mix in the liquid detergent - try it with about one cap at the beginning. If the slime sticks strongly to your fingers, add a little more detergent. The slime is ready when you can move it from hand to hand without leaving any residue.
Tip: If you want to make see-through slime, it's best to use transparent craft glue. For opaque slime, use white craft glue. And if you want to keep your slime as long as possible, put it in an airtight can or bag after use. This prevents the homemade slime from drying out.
Info: If you make your own slime with solvent-free glue, then the end product is non-toxic and therefore also suitable for children to play with.
How to make slime without glue
If you prefer to make your slime without glue (or borax), you can try the following recipe. No-glue slime is somewhat firmer and less slippery, but it's still great fun to play with!
All you need to make slime without glue is:
- a large glass of hot water (approx. 350 ml)
- food colouring
- two cups of cornstarch
- bowls
This is one of the easiest ways to make slime, also sometimes known as gloop. Take the hot (not boiling!) water and mix it with the food colouring first. Start with a few drops or small pinch of colour, and add keep adding until you have the colour you like.
Next, put the two cups of cornstarch in a new bowl and then slowly add the liquid. If the slime is too firm at the end, add a little water. If it's too runny, add some cornstarch. The slime is ready if it doesn't stick to your fingers.
Gift tip for children's birthday parties: Are your kids crazy about the colourful gooey stuff? Then a slime factory could be the perfect gift for them! With the funny set, your kids can easily mix the slime themselves and colour it as they please. The advantage: Everything the little ones need to make the DIY slime is already included in the set - so you don't have to sacrifice a bowl.
You can buy a Slime Factory kit with all the ingredients you need included. See more details here at Amazon.
How to make slime from only 2 ingredients – the easiest slime recipe
There are hardly any limits to the different kinds of slime you can make. With basic slime as your base, you can experiment with adding different ingredients to create your very own personalised slime. To make very basic slime, all you need is:
- craft glue (solvent-free and water-soluble)
- liquid detergent
If you have mixed these two ingredients, then you can make all kinds of other slimes by adding different components. In addition to the simply colourful slime variants, you can do a lot more with the homemade slime.
You can find even more brilliant slime ideas in Super Slime: 30 Safe Inventive Slime Recipes. See more details here at Amazon.
How to make glow-in-the-dark slime
If you want to make your children (or yourself) a very special slime, this one really has the 'wow' factor! To make it, you simply have to add a little glow-in-the-dark colour to the basic recipe. After a short exposure to light, the slime glows all by itself in the dark.
You can buy special glow-in-the-dark paint. See more details here at Amazon.
Important: this colour is not a food colouring! So make sure that your children don't put the glow-in-the-dark slime in their mouths.
Glitter slime, pearl slime and more
Kneading homemade slime is a lot of fun when you add small pearls, biodegradable glitter, small plastic dinosaurs and all sorts of other little things. There are no limits here - let your imagination run wild!
How to make galaxy slime
If you want to make slime that definitely delights all ages, try some stunning galaxy slime. All you need to do is make a few batches of different-coloured slime and mix them together. So what you need is:
- glue
- biodegradable glitter - You can buy sets with lots of different colours. See more details here at Amazon.
- food colouring
- laundry detergent
Mix up the glitter as per the instructions above - one batch for each colour. (e.g. blue, pink, purple). Once you've done this with all the colours of your galaxy, you mix them together to form a large galaxy slime. But be careful: don't knead too intensely, otherwise the colours will mix completely.
How to make fluffy slime
This fluffy, airy foam is one of the most popular kinds of slime to make at home. For this you need:
- craft glue
- shaving cream
- contact lens solution
- food colouring
First of all, put the shaving cream in a bowl. The more foam, the more slime. To start with, you could try two handfuls. Next, mix in a few drops or a pinch of food colouring, then about 40-50 ml of craft glue.
Mix the whole thing well. Finally, add the contact lens liquid, a tiny bit at a time, until the slime is a firmer consistency. Then get playing with your new fluffy slime!
Looking for more great arts & crafts ideas? Check out our articles or swap tips with other parents in our forum below.
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