Messy Craft
Slime Lab
Make stretchy, glittery slime together, then see whose stretches the farthest.
Ages 6 to 12
30 minutes
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Get ready
10 minutes. Cover the table, pour glue into cups and tie back long hair.
What you’ll need
A slime kit (glue, activator and mix-ins), a bowl and spoon per kid, a plastic tablecloth, old T-shirts as smocks, wipes and zip-top bags.
Let’s play
1. Cover the table and put on smocks. Tie back long hair.
2. Pour glue into a bowl for each kid.
3. Stir in color and glitter.
4. You add the activator a little at a time while they stir. Stop when it pulls away from the bowl.
5. Knead it with clean hands until it’s stretchy, not sticky.
6. Hold a stretch contest, then put each kid’s slime in a bag with their name on it.
Get the kit: Elmer’s slime kit on Amazon
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Your part in the adventure
You run the activator. Add it a little at a time and ask them what's changing.
What they’re discovering
They're watching a real chemical change: runny glue turns stretchy when the activator links it together.
Before you begin
An adult handles the activator. Everyone washes hands before and after, and slime stays away from mouths, younger siblings, carpets and couches. Follow the age and directions on the box.
Keep the idea going
Hide tiny toys in the slime for a treasure dig, or make one color each and swirl them together.
Every child is different. Adjust activities for their age and abilities, and stay close by. These are play ideas, not medical or developmental advice.