How to make slime at home, plus 7 fun slime types to try

• Slime is a great educational activity for kids, and it's easy to make at home.
• Slime acts as both a liquid and a solid and can be customized in a variety of ways.
• To make slime, combine glue, baking soda, water, and contact lens solution.

If you're looking for a fun and educational activity for the kids, put slime at the top of your list. Homemade slime is typically made up of household products to create a substance that's a cross between a liquid and a solid.

"Making slime is an activity the entire family can get involved in," says blogger Nadia Tayob of Fun With Mama. "Slime is a great way to engage kids in a tactile sensory experience and spark creativity. For younger children, this kind of sensory play can improve fine motor skills and help them learn to focus."

Slime also offers a great way for kids to learn scientific principles while enjoying an exciting activity. With just a few ingredients, you can make a variety of colors and types of slime at home for endless fun.

What you need

• 1 cup white glue
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 ½ tablespoons contact lens solution
• Food coloring, if desired

How to make slime

1. Pour the glue into a bowl. Add liquid food coloring if desired.
2. Stir in the water and baking soda.
3. Add the contact lens solution. Slowly stir in the solution, continuously mixing until it begins to strengthen into an elastic putty. The mixture will begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Knead the slime. Remove the mixture from the bowl and knead it on the counter. If it's too sticky, add more contact lens solution to continue strengthening the slime.

How to make slime with Borax

Some recipes for making slime incorporate Borax, which strengthens the slime. However, depending on who will be playing with the slime, it may not be the best option. "While Borax is considered non-toxic, it's highly recommended to avoid eye contact, ingestion, or prolonged contact with the skin," says Tayob.

1. Dissolve the Borax. Mix 1 teaspoon of Borax in 1/2 cup of water.
2. Dilute the glue. Combine 1/2 cup white Elmer's glue and 1/2 cup water.
3. Combine the solutions. Stir the Borax solution into the glue solution and mix until the slime thickens into a putty.

How to make different types of slime

While a classic slime recipe provides hours of fun, there are plenty of ways to switch up the texture and color of slime.

• Cloud slime: Mix together 1 cup glue and 1 cup shaving cream. Slowly stir in ¾ cup liquid laundry starch until the slime strengthens. Activate ½ cup instant snow with water until fluffy. Knead the instant snow into the prepared slime to make a slime that looks and feels like a fluffy, stretchy cloud.
• Fluffy slime: Fluffy slime is made with shaving cream to make the finished texture softer. Mix together 1 cup clear glue and 1 cup shaving cream. Slowly stir in ¾ cup liquid laundry starch until the slime strengthens.
• Butter slime: This slime is soft, smooth, and not as sticky as other kinds. Mix together 1 cup white glue, 1 cup shaving cream, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 2 pumps of any lotion. Add in 2 tablespoons of contact lens solution to strengthen and knead the slime with a small amount of cornstarch until it's no longer sticky.
• Crunchy slime: This slime enhances the sensory play of slime even further with a unique textured feel. Make slime and knead 1 cup of mini foam balls into it.
• Clear slime: Use clear glue instead of white glue in a classic slime mixture to switch up the look.
• Glitter slime: Swap out the white glue in a classic slime recipe for any color of glitter glue to give your mixture an extra glimmer.
• Glow-in-the-dark slime: Make a classic slime recipe and add two to three squirts of glow-in-the-dark paint before adding the contact lens solution. Mix it up and watch it glow.

How long does slime last?

While slime can provide hours of play, you can also store it for your next session. Store the slime in an airtight container and place it in the fridge. According to Tayob, slime will last for months when stored correctly. If your slime is too hard when you pull it out again, knead it with a bit of water or hand sanitizer to help it soften. If it's too sticky, knead it with a bit of baking soda or add saline solution.

Insider's takeaway

While slime is available for purchase in many store toy sections, it can also be made at home just as easily. Making homemade slime allows you to customize the recipe to create different colors, textures, and add other decorations. It's quick and simple to make and provides endless hours of fun and educational opportunities for kids.