How to Make Slime – A Safer Recipe for Kids

how to make slime activity

Slime is the new popular activity for kids! In just 5 easy steps, you can join in on the fun. Experiment with different colors and add fun items like glitter and beads! You can also use this as a sensory experiment for kids that need tactile and visual stimulation.

There have been some concerns about using Borax as an ingredient in making slime, so we’ve got an alternative that is safer for kids – contact lens saline solution!

Slime Ingredients: 

(NOTE: This is for a large batch. You can divide the amounts by 3 and make a smaller batch, especially if you want to test the recipe first. The contact solution binds the ingredients together.)elmers liquid magic for slime

NEW! This Elmer’s Magic Liquid makes it easy to turn liquid glue into slime!. Combine 1/4 cup of Magical Liquid with 4-6 oz. of liquid glue and stir. No need to buy contact solution and baking soda with this all-in-one formulation! It’s safe, washable, and non-toxic! One bottle makes up to four batches of slime.

Additional items:

how to make slime ingredients

How to Make Colorful Slime

  1. Pour 12 ounces of glue into a container to mix your slime in.
  2. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of baking soda. Mix together.
  3. Add drops of watercolor paint. Mix together again. You can even add glitter if you’d like. It says inside the slime!
  4. Add 2 tablespoons of saline solution.
  5. Mix the saline solution into your slime until it starts to form together

making slime

TIPS:

  • The less paint/color you add, the more pastel your slime will be.
  • The less saline solution you add, the more flexible your slime will be.

Now you have slime! Mold it into different shapes and have fun with different color options. You can store the slime in plastic containers to use later, but it’s best and most fun to play with right after it’s made.

how to make slime

Slime Tips:

If your slime won’t stick together, try adding more contact solution so it bonds together better. If it is too sticky, you can add more baking soda. If it is too hard and not flexible, you may have added too much contact solution. Knead the slime and work it through your hands really well to see if it loosens up. If not, we recommend making a smaller batch of slime with 4 oz of glue and 1/2 tbsp baking soda, and then 1 tbsp of contact solution. Mix together and add more contact solution if needed.

Sensory Experiments for Slime

Making slime is also a great activity for sensory stimulation! Here are a few fun experiments.

Add Texture:

Add gems, beads, glitter, or poly beads for an even more exciting sensory experience! Choose different colors and shapes to create a unique feeling and help with tactile stimulation. Also, if you use clear glue instead of white, you can see the items and not just feel them! TIP: It’s easiest to add the items before you mix in the saline solution.

Add Shapes:

You can give your slime different shapes using cookie cutters! We made several different colors of slime and added some shapes to it, like hearts and circles. If you don’t press down completely, the shapes fade after awhile. Have fun with it and play around with the designs!

slime sensory activity

Testing Ingredients:

Experiement with different amounts of each ingredient. Ask kids to answer questions as you go. What happens when you add more than 2 tablespoons of saline solution? Does adding more or less baking soda make a difference in how the slime feels?

Mixing Colors:

The great thing about slime is you can use any colors you want! To create a marble effect, first complete all 5 steps with one color. Then, choose another color to make and during step 5 as you add the saline solution, knead the finished slime into it. We did this with pink and blue!

marbled slime

PLEASE NOTE: Adult supervision is recommended for this activty. Although contact lens saline solution is a safer option than Borax, it does still contain Boric Acid, and should not be ingested.

Check out some great photos and feedback on Pinterest from others who have tried this recipe!

Wacky Putty

slime alternative

Don’t have contact lens solution or baking soda? No problem! As an alternative for slime, make Wacky Putty using clear glue, liquid starch, and food coloring. View the video tutorial from Purex on our website.

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115 thoughts on “How to Make Slime – A Safer Recipe for Kids

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  17. thankyou so much for the recipe but why do we have to use saline solution cant we just use regular contact lens solution

  18. We tried this recipe and it was GREAT!!! We made so much slime with different glues. We’re going to do the glow in the dark glue. Thanks for the recipe!!!

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  20. my daughter cried for over a half hour because we were trying our best followed recipe to a T and it just was like wet glue in the bowl it didnt bind at all… so this recipe DOES NOT WORK!!

    • Hi Samantha, we are sorry to hear the recipe did not work for you. We have received positive feedback from others who have had success using this recipe. If you followed the instructions and measurements exactly, the only help I can offer is to try again and maybe experiment with more contact lens solution, as that is the ingredient that binds everything together and gives you slime, versus the wet gluey results. It may help to start with a smaller batch (divide ingredient amounts by 3) and then experiement. We wish you and your daughter the best in making slime!

      • Maybe kneading longer would help! This recipe worked great for my granddaughter. And it came together very quickly. We used glitter glue, baking soda & contact lens solution.

      • you need to check that the contact lens solution contains boric acid otherwise it won’t work. I found out too late after trying to make endless batches and the result was a messy, runny goo and not slime!

  21. Two very happy Grand children after making slime.
    We used 125mls of PVA glue, 1/2 tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda & 1 level tablespoon of saline eye wash solution. They added coloured paint and glitter.

    With a 500 mls of glue we made 3 batches easily.

  22. Easy as 123 my son was bored on a rainy day and we had the supplies. We started out with 5oz bottle of glow in the dark glitter glue instead of 1 1/2 tbs we did a 1/2 just to start and 1/2 contact solution. It was sticky as dough so I added another 1/2 baking soda and it came out prefect. I would suggest really working the baking soda in if too sticky.

  23. We have followed all the instructions and used all the right ingredients several times and it does not become slime. Can you tell me why? Thank you.

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  26. Thank you so much sharing this information. it was really very helpful.the blog has lot of creative ideas.please keep sharing your thoughts

    • essentially, this is a glue product. if you soak the garment/ fabric in a mild, cold soap solution, it should release pretty well. make sure to give the spot(s) a good scrub as the glue soaks into most fibers really thoroughly.

      a trick you’ve likely learned it to make sure everyone making & playing with the slime are wearing clothes that are okay to get messy or covering up with an old apron or smock.

    • vinegar! we have had many many times that our slime has ended up where it shouldnt…. from clothing, furniture, bedding, shoes, even hair, vinegar has worked well everytime! For the hair we have also used cooking oil which worked ok if you dont mind the greasiness :}

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    • Hello. I only have cleaning and disinfecting contact lens solution.I have Elmer’s glue but the extra strong formula glue. Will that still make good slime?

      Thanks for your time!

      • Hi there, just wanted to say make sure your contact solution doesn’t have hydrogen peroxide in it. Usually there is a red label at the top telling you if it does. Also, if you have the Glue All Elmer’s Glue it should still work for slime, though we have heard that if it is extra strong, the slime will not be as flexible.

  30. The recipe worked fine, and the slime was great at first. But, after storing it in a ziplock bag for just a couple of hours, the slime became hard, and a liquid was inside the bag. It was very strange. What am I doing wrong?

    • Hi Ell, sorry to hear your slime did not store well in the plastic bag! We have heard from several people who have made slime that it does last if sealed in a plastic bag with no air getting through, but maybe you could try a plastic container instead? We have also heard refrigerating it will help make it last longer. The liquid does sounds normal though, we found it does get a bit liquidy when you store it. Hope that helps!

      • Ours was rubbery this morning but the kids were still messing with it. However, it has disappeared and I think the dog swallowed it. Will his stomach be able to break this down and digest it?

    • Hi Mary, we have not personally tried the recipe with Thera Tear eye drops, and after looking up the ingredients it looks like they are not the same as the saline solution. If you want to make slime I would stick with the saline contact solution, but you could always experiment with a small batch. Thanks!

    • I don’t think so because I did that the first time I
      Made slime and that did not work at all so don’t use contact solution without boric acid/borax

      • Of course the Elmer’s glue would work because that is what almost every child would use for their slime.

    • It only works with School or Washable Glue. not the Elmer’s with new extra strong hold formula. I have had to add water to glue and it works o.k. but much better with Elmer’s School Glue.

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  32. hi I used 1/3 measurements and it worked fine, u must use baking soda not bicarbonate of soda, any pva glue will work, you make saline solution with water salt and baking powder.

    • Hi, just tried and didn’t work. We used bicarb which is American Baking Soda. British baking powder is something completley different to both, mixed comments on using bicarb or not did you use baking soda or baking powder please?

      • Baking powder is not the same as Baking Soda. . . The one you want is Sodium BiCarbonate (Baking Soda). . . Available in Europe in most pharmacies as Natrium BiCarbonate or Sodium Bicarbonate. . . I imagine it may be in supermarkets there, as well, but I have never seen it. . . In the US it is commonly used with an acid as a leavening agent, and also a promoter of the Maillard reaction, a process in cooking which makes items brown . . .

    • Hi Nikki, if your slime came out really runny, you can try adding more contact lens solution. This is what binds the ingredients together. If that doesn’t work, try adding more baking soda. We have also had someone tell us that adding corn starch helps make it less runny. You can try making a smaller batch and test this out, so you don’t waste ingredients.

  33. Hello! We have used this recipe and the slime comes out more solid with little “give” or pull. I was hoping for the consistency of the borax recipe. Do you have any ideas to make the consistency more pliable?

    • Hi Kim, you could try the recipe again but this time add the contact solution slowly, like a few teaspoons at a time. Knead the slime and work it through your hands really well, then keep adding more solution a little bit at a time. The solution is what binds it together, so it’s possible yours is binding too much. I think it also depends on the type of solution you use and the type of glue. Everyone seems to have a slightly different result even with this same recipe. You can also do a search for “non-stretchy slime” to see if anyone else has some tips. You can also make a smaller batch so it’s easier to test. Hope this helps!

  34. Hello, we followed all instructions kids had a blast playing with it … stored the slime in a plastic container and its as if the glue just hardened and the liquid didn’t hold … did everything to try and kneed it but it’s to hard … please let me know of a better way to store as the suggested way didn’t work. Thanks

    • Hi Jessica, we have heard that putting slime into plastic bags and in the refrigerator can help it last for a few weeks. We stored ours in a tupperware container and tested it the next day, but no longer than that. Let us know if you find out what works best!

    • Hi there, we have not personally tried making slime with expired contact lens solution, but I don’t see why it would not still work in bonding the ingredients together especially if it’s only a few months old. I would say give it a try!

      • My contact solution is expired and we used it anyway. It worked fine. My only issue is storing it. We stored it in ziploc bags but it was watery. We haven’t tried containers yet. We’ll see how that works.

    • Hi Pat, did you try kneading it to help smooth it out? I am not sure why it would come out chunky, you could add less baking soda and see if that helps. We were very specific about following the recipe and ours came out pretty smooth. Hope that helps!

  35. This worked great! My toddlers had a ball making it and playing with it. Each one wanted a different color, so we used the 6oz Elmers glitter glue, so we just cut the ingredients in half. Thank you so much for this recipe!

    • Oh so it really I’m gonna try it then I’ve been wanting to make slime and for the first time ever I will be making some on Thursday using this method

    • Hi Lara, we appreciate your concern. Contact lens saline solution is safer than borax due to the fact that you can use it for contact lenses that go into your eyes, and although it does have some boric acid it is in a much lower concentration. Many sites are recommending the use of the contact lens solution to avoid burns that were being caused by borax.

    • Hi Vicki, Elmer’s Glue is a particular brand of glue, very popular here in the US. It is technically “PVA based” but I have read many sites consider it PVA. Hope that helps!

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  37. I went by this an it did not work at all you couldn’t pick it up it was just like the glue I went exactly by the recipe I had to use all most 2 boxes of baken soda an now its not slime it’s more like Play-Doh

    • Hi Shelly, we used this recipe at our organization and it did produce slime. It was also based on the Elmer’s recipe they have posted on their site. I am sorry to hear it didn’t work for you! You did use Elmer’s School glue for the project?

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    • Hi Amanda,

      To make slime (borax-free) you need Elmers glue, contact lens solution, baking soda, and food coloring (or washable paint). Any ingredient in the blog post that has a blue link will take you to the product on our website. If you read through the blog, there are step by step instructions on how to use each of the ingredients to make slime. Thanks!

      • Using contact solution DOES NOT make a borax-free slime. Boric acid and sodium borate are in contact solutions (ie, Kirkland Signature Lens Cleaner).

        • Hi there, thank you for you comment. Yes the contact solution does contain boric acid, as we stated in the blog “Although contact lens saline solution is a safer option than Borax, it does still contain Boric Acid, and should not be ingested.” We didn’t claim this was a borax free recipe, just that it was safer to use contact solution than borax, as this will not burn your hands.

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