Anyone who has experimented with Oobleck knows about that strong urge to take the experiment to the next level. There are various ways to make Oobleck, and one of the most extraordinary versions is called Oobleck Slime, which is made with glue. To make Oobleck slime, you need to follow specific steps to ensure that you achieve the right consistency.
How To Make Oobleck With Glue In 8 Steps
- Cover work surface with newspaper.
- Pour ¼ cup glue into mixing bowl.
- Add a few drops of food coloring.
- Add ¾ cup cornstarch (¼ cup at a time), mix well.
- Use your hands to work the slime.
- Lightly dust your hands and continue to work the slime.
- Add 1 Tbsp Glycerin and mix.
- Add glitter and mix.
It is unbelievable how much fun you can create with only a few household ingredients. This article will teach you how to make Oobleck slime in just 8 easy steps. We will also explore the different variations of Oobleck made with glue and other exciting ingredients. So, if you are looking for an awesome, slimy experience, you have come to the right place.
What Is Oobleck?
The name Oobleck comes from the 1949 book by Dr. Seuss called “Bartholomew And The Oobleck.” It is about a slimy, mysterious substance that falls from the sky and tries to take over the kingdom. Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid.
It is a suspension or substance that mimics the characteristics of a solid or a liquid that can change its viscosity depending on the circ*mstances. If you apply pressure to it, it becomes solid, and when you release the pressure, it turns back into a liquid state.
How To Make Oobleck With Glue In 8 Steps
What You Need
- ¼ Cup of Elmer’s glue
- ¾ Cup of Cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon of Glycerin
- Food Coloring (any color) *optional
- Glitter (1 or more colors) *optional
- A mixing bowl
- A mixing spoon
- Newspaper
Step 1
Prepare your working surface by covering the entire area with a protective layer of newspaper. This is going to get messy!
Step 2
Measure out ¼ cup of Elmer’s glue (you can also use school glue or Glue-All) and pour it into a clean, dry mixing bowl.
Step 3
Add a few drops of food coloring to the glue and mix well.
*Alternatively, you can make your Oobleck slime glow in the dark by adding the neon-colored fluid from glowsticks to the glue instead of food coloring. Switch on your black light and see how it lights up!
Step 4
Slowly start to add the cornstarch (¼ cup at a time) and continue to mix well. You will notice the slime getting thicker and thicker every time you add more cornstarch.
Step 5
Soon, you will find it difficult to mix the slime with a spoon, which is where the fun really starts! Time to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty! As you work the slime with your hands, you will see some of it will still be stuck on the sides of the mixing bowl. Scrape all the pieces from the sides and work them into the rest of the slime.
Step 6
You may find that the slime is very sticky, and it is difficult to work with it if it keeps sticking to your hands.
Lightly dust a bit of cornstarch on your hands before you continue. It will take care of the tackiness, making it easier to work with. Keep on kneading the slime until everything is mixed in evenly.
Step 7
Now for the magic ingredient, add a tablespoon of glycerin to your slime and work it through with your fingers. Glycerin prevents the slime from sticking to your fingers while you play with it, and it makes it feel smoother, stretchier, and slimier, almost as if you are playing with real slime like the ones you see in the movies!
Step 8
Finally, add some glitter to your Oobleck slime (any color and as much as you want). Work the glitter through the slime.
Well done! You have made your very own Oobleck slime, and now it’s time to play!
5 Additional Oobleck Recipes Made With Glue
There are various Oobleck recipes you can make with glue. I have included some of my all-time favorites, and we can work through them together, step by step.
1. Oobleck With Glue And Borax
What You Need
- ½ Cup of Elmer’s glue (Glue-All or school glue will work fine)
- ½ Cup of water
- 1 Tablespoon of Borax
- 1 Cup of warm water
- Food coloring
- 2 Medium-sized mixing bowls
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- A mixing spoon
- 5 x Small Zip-seal freezer bags
Step 1
In the first mixing bowl, mix ½ cup (125ml) of water and ½ cup (125ml) of Elmer’s glue.
Step 2
In the second medium-sized mixing bowl, mix 1 cup (250ml) of warm water and 1 Tablespoon (15ml) of Borax.
*You need to continue mixing until the Borax has dissolved completely.
Step 3
Pour the Borax solution into the large mixing bowl.
Step 4
Add a few drops of food coloring.
Step 5
Pour the glue solution into the Borax solution.
Step 6
Start mixing the contents with a spoon until it becomes stiffer. Finally, use your hands to combine all the ingredients thoroughly.
Fun Activity
If you are working with a group of children (for example, five children), let each child mix their own slime.
- Instead of adding all of the Borax solution, add 4 Tablespoons of the solution to each child’s zip-seal freezer bag.
- Allow the children to select a food color of their choice and help them to add 1 or 2 drops into their bag.
- Pour 8 Tablespoons of the glue solution into each child’s bag and help them to seal their bags tightly.
- Tell them to start squishing the bag with their hands until all of the contents are mixed thoroughly.
- Allow them to add some glitter to their slime.
Let them play!
2. Fluffy Oobleck Slime
What You Need
- ½ Cup of Elmer’s glue
- ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon of saline solution (must contain boric acid/sodium borate as ingredients)
- 1 Can of shaving cream
- Baby oil
- Glitter
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- A mixing bowl
- A mixing spoon
Step 1
Pour the Elmer’s glue into a mixing bowl
Step 2
Add a couple of drops of food coloring to the glue and mix well until the color is evenly distributed.
Step 3
Shake the can of shaving cream well and add about 3-4 cups to the glue.
Step 4
Measure ¼ teaspoon of baking soda and stir it into the glue and shaving cream mixture.
Step 5
Measure 1 Tablespoon of saline solution, add it to the mixture, and stir well.
Step 6
Continue stirring the mixture until everything is mixed thoroughly. Make sure there is no slime remaining on the walls of the bowls. Finally, use your hands to knead the slime.
Step 7
Add a few drops of baby oil (not too much) until the slime stops sticking to your hands.
Step 8
Add the glitter and work it through the slime.
3. Clear Slime Recipe
What You Need
- 1 cup (250ml) liquid starch
- 1 cup (250ml) clear glue
- Food coloring (optional)
- Glitter (optional)
- A plastic container with a tight-fitting lid
Step 1
Pour 1 cup of liquid starch into the plastic container. Close the container and shake vigorously before adding the glue (make sure the lid is secure to prevent it from coming off).
Step 2
Pour 1 cup of clear glue into the liquid starch and use your fingers to mix the ingredients thoroughly. Stretch and pull the slime as you are working with it.
Step 3
add glitter and a few drops of food coloring and work it through your slime.
4. Super Slimy Oobleck
This recipe is by far the slimmest of all the slime! It looks like the real thing, and it is so easy to make.
What You Need
- ½ Cup (125ml) of PVA (Polyvinyl alcohol) solution
- 1 Tablespoon of Sodium tetraborate (Borax)
- Green food coloring
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- A mixing bowl
- A mixing spoon
Step 1
Pour ½ cup of the PVA solution into a mixing bowl.
Step 2
Add green food coloring.
Step 3
Measure 1 Teaspoon of Borax solution and stir it into the PVA solution.
Step 4
If you are satisfied with your slimy Oobleck’s consistency, it’s time to play!
How To Prepare The Borax Solution
- Fill an 8 oz plastic bottle ¾ full of water.
- Measure 4 teaspoons of Borax and add it to the water.
- Replace the bottle cap and shake well until the Borax is dissolved.
- Once dissolved, fill the bottle to the top with water and continue to shake.
- Label the bottle “Borax Solution” with a permanent marker.
*You can buy ready-made PVA (Polyvinyl alcohol) solution from any hardware store or paint shop, but make sure the label reads,” Polyvinyl Alcohol 3% Solution”. Alternatively, you can click on the link below to learn how to make your own PVA solution;
How To Mix PVA (Polyvinyl alcohol) Solution
Let’s Get Technical! – How It Works
Polyvinyl alcohol is a liquid polymer formed from a long chain of connected molecules. The Borax forms “hydrogen bonds” with the O2 (oxygen) present in the PVA chains.
These hydrogen bonds happen due to positive hydrogen atoms that attract the negative charge of the oxygen atoms inside the compound.
Next, the individual PVA strands are linked to each other by the hydrogen bonds and create a blob of slime.
Because the hydrogen bonds are weak, they break and reform when you let the slime ooze onto a flat surface. Pretty cool indeed!
5. Magnetic Oobleck
What You Need
- ½ Cup (125ml) black iron oxide powder
- ½ Cup (125ml) white PVA glue
- ½ cup liquid starch
- ½ Cup water
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- A mixing bowl
- A mixing spoon
- Container or bucket
- Neodymium magnets
Step 1
Pour ½ cup of glue into a bowl.
Step 2
Add ½ cup of water into the glue and stir.
Step 3
Add ½ cup of iron oxide powder and mix well (adult assistance required – the risk of oxide powder inhalation).
Step 4
Add ½ cup of liquid starch to the mixture and stir well. Don’t worry if the mixture turns into a gel right away; continue stirring.
Step 5
Transfer your slime to a clean container or bucket (you will notice a liquid that stays behind in the first container – you can discard this leftover liquid)
Step 6
Let your slime sit for about 10 mins.
Step 7
Play with your slime and see how it becomes darker and darker. Eventually, it will be black and glossy. Place the magnets next to and on top of the magnetic Oobleck and watch as it swallows the magnets. It’s like magic!
Conclusion
Oobleck slime seems to be a big craze at the moment. Kids from all over the world are doing different experiments to create a variety of different slimes.
They are adding everything they can think of to it to make it even more exciting. Things like colorful beads, highlighter fluid, glitter glue, paint, marbles, foam beads, multiple colors, and the list goes on.
Now that you know how to make some of the best slime recipes of all time, you too can join the craze and introduce this never-ending fun experiment to your kids. It is the ultimate boredom breaker, and not only will children have the time of their lives, but they will also be learning about science.
References
How To Make Slime With Glue – Super Easy | Little Bins for Little Hands
Easy Magnetic Slime | Little Bins for Little Hands
Slime Project Pack – Ultimate Slime Guide
How to Create Oobleck with School Glue (craftsuprint.com)
DIY Fluffy Oobleck Slime!! How To Make Oobleck Slime With Glue!! – YouTube
