Slime. Everything you need to know about this popular kids game
Slime, the so-called play slime, has been a favorite toy for many children for several years. What is it, how to play with it and why has it become so popular?
What is slime?
Slime is a plastic mass that can have a variety of colors, structures and textures. It is moist, chewy and specific to the touch. Children can create various shapes from it, but the process of preparing the mass is a lot of fun. It activates the child's imagination, develops his creativity and manual skills.
Interestingly, slim play is also recommended as a therapy for hyperactive or autistic children. It teaches focus and concentration. It is very attractive, so it has calming properties. Slime is also played by elementary school students, who often involve the entire family in the game.
How to make slime?
Slime can be made at home with glue, lens cleaner, and baking soda, along with many other ingredients used as supplements or additives.
You can also buy a special set for the preparation of plastic mass, which contains all the necessary ingredients, and often also sparkles and other additives that improve the properties of the mass and change its appearance.
Depending on the appearance and structure, several types of masses are distinguished:
- glitter slime - shiny, shiny (with the addition of glitter)
- fluffy slime - fluffy (with the addition of shaving foam)
- oil slime - cream (with the addition of self-hardening clay)
- crunchy slime - "crunchy" (with the addition of small foam balls or sand)
Their appearance varies, and ingredients can be combined and substituted to create unique masses that go beyond the basic classification. Nothing stops our baby's slime from being shiny and crunchy at the same time. By adding the right ingredients, you can even create a glow-in-the-dark mass.
It is the uniqueness of each mass and the possibility of developing new recipes that make up the phenomenon of the popularity of fun.
What safety rules to follow?
Making a slime on your own requires responsibility from both the parent and the child. It is safer to control the chemical reactions that our child conducts. To avoid the risk of unwanted chemical reactions, and at the same time make the process “cleaner” and more efficient, it is worth buying a ready-made set of slimes. Whether we want to make a slime from scratch or use proven ingredients or pre-made products, we must remember that the recommended minimum age for a child is about 5 years old. At this age, the child is more responsible and the risk of swallowing any of the ingredients is much lower.
What else should a parent take care of before, during and after play? First of all, it is necessary to check if our child is allergic to any of the ingredients of the mass.
Slime recipes made from homemade ingredients are also very popular. If we are experimenting with untested ingredients, we need to make sure they are safe for our baby. Flour, butter, or natural starch are safe ingredients, but borax (i.e., the sodium salt of a weak boric acid) and detergents are optional, especially for younger children. Check ingredients and allergens. Do not play with slime from unknown manufacturers unless the ingredients are listed on the back of the package.
If we do not use the bowls from the set, but choose one from the kitchen, remember that just washing the dishes after the fun is not enough. It is best to use kneading bowls for this purpose.
Especially during the first games, it is better not to leave the child alone with the mass, but to watch what he is doing. Let's make sure that the child does not rub his eyes with dirty hands, does not take the mass into his mouth (and does not bite his nails with the remnants of the mass). This is responsible entertainment. The older and more responsible the child, the less control he needs from our side. However, it is worth playing with your child the first few times. Moreover, slime is entertainment for adults as well. This is a great way to spend time together.
After preparing the mass, thoroughly wash the child’s hands (and yours if we touched the mass), as well as dishes and countertops.
Some original ideas for using slime mass
The mass of slime can be stretched and turned into figures, for example, into "artificial" cupcakes. Mass work gives the child the courage to experiment. He teaches when to choose proportions and combine ingredients. This is a great entertainment for both future artists and chemists. And also for every child who loves entertaining games.
What figures can be made from the mucous mass? Here are some ideas.
- Stained Glass
What you need? Prepare Elmer's glue (you can choose any: clean, shiny, glow in the dark). Optional: waxed paper, favorite shape baking sheet, hole punch, thread or string. Optionally also a toothpick.
- Place your favorite shape on the waxed paper.
- Fill the mold with glue. You can combine different types of glue, pour them side by side to create the desired pattern. Use a toothpick to mix the colors and create colorful streaks.
- Leave the mold to dry. This takes approximately 48 hours.
- After hardening, remove the mold from the mold. Make a small hole for stitching the frozen mass. Pass a thread or yarn through it. The resulting decoration can be hung in a place with access to the sun, so that the sun's rays passing through it give the effect of stained glass.
- Bubble slime, i.e. mass bubble in 5 steps
What you need? Prepare 2 bottles of Elmer's Clear Glue (150g), 1 bottle of Glitter Glue (180g) and Magic Liquid (Elmer's Magic Liquid). You will also need 1 bowl, a mixing spatula and a teaspoon.
- Pour 2 bottles of pure Elmer's glue and one bottle of glitter glue into a bowl. Mix both adhesives until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
- Add about one teaspoon of magic liquid so that the slime begins to form well. Mix thoroughly and add more magic liquid to achieve the desired consistency.
- Form the mass so that it has four corners. Ask a friend or family member for help. Let each of you take two horns. Slowly pull the corners of the mass in opposite directions so that the stretched slime becomes flatter and thinner without losing its rounded shape.
- Start gently shaking the mass up and down, simulating the movement of a fan. The mass should begin to form bubbles. Once the bubble is large, place the corners of the mass on the floor, countertop, or other flat, clean surface. Glue them to the surface.
- Now you can pierce the mass, prick and crush.
Summation
Slime is great fun for the whole family, fun for both preschoolers and elementary school students. Only our creativity depends on how our mass will look like and what we will make of it. Do you have any favorite slime recipes or unusual uses for slime?
See also, how to decorate a children's corner of creativity Oraz why it is worth developing the artistic talent of a child.
