by Kimberly Smith

Created on: February 05, 2009

Maybe it's a rainy day and you have some bored kids on your hands. That's a great time to try a science experience that will not only educate, but entertain the kids as well. All kids love slim. No matter the color, they just can't wait to get their hands on the stuff and start pulling and molding. It is sold in stores everywhere, but it is more affordable to make your own. It is also time well spent with your kids and a learning adventure all wrapped in one activity.

You will need to get all the materials and tools together before beginning the project. All of the ingredients are easy to find in any discount department store. The borax can be found on the laundry aisle.

Ingredients:
Craft Glue (Elmer's works great)
Borax
Food Coloring (in a variety of colors)
Water

Tools:
2 Glass or Ceramic Bowls
2 Forks
1 Gallon Zip lock Storage Bag

If the kids are old enough to handle their own set of bowls you could let each of them have their own to make their batch of slim.

Start by measuring cup glue into one of the bowls, add cup water to the glue and begin stirring with the fork until the glue is diluted. In the other bowl mix 1 teaspoon Borax in 1 cup of water. Stir this with the other fork until the borax is completely dissolved. Add food coloring in the desired color to the borax and water mixture.

Now add the borax mixture to the glue mixture and begin stirring right away. It will become hard to stir, at this point you can take it from the bowl and finish mixing it with your hands. There may be some water left in the bowl, this is not unusual.

At this point the slim is complete. You will want to use it the day it is made, as it will collect fuss, lint, and dirt and become unusable. If you want to try to keep it for use later, you can place it in a 1 gallon Zip lock bag and place it in the refrigerator. This will prevent it from growing mold.

A variation to the recipe above is to add 2 parts borax which will make the slim harder and less gooey. This would be better if you wanted to do more molding with it.

It is important to note that the borax is poisonous if swallowed. If you are working with smaller children you may want to handle this portion of the ingredients and maybe include the child in the mixing process only.

And now for the science behind the fun. What exactly is a polymer? The word comes from the Greek poly meaning many and meros meaning parts. Polymers are large molecules consisting of repeating identical structural units connected by a covalent chemical bonds. They can be naturally occurring or manmade. Some examples of manmade polymers are nylon and polyester. A natural occurring polymer is proteins in our bodies.

This is a very inexpensive, yet fun activity for kids to do anytime. You can do it at sleepovers, or parties and it will be very entertaining for kids of all ages.

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