The recipe I’m sharing here is based on my DIY 2-ingredient Bubble Bars. The point of these homemade bubble bars is to add just enough flour or corn starch to turn the mixture into a firm dough. This slime recipe is best prepped the night before so the balls have time to draw in the moisture, soften and swell. Add balls of different sizes to the slime tray or tub for rolling and making patterns with. Add spoons to turn into a scooping game. For younger children and babies you can help do this step with them of course and I usually make it a little firmer rather than too slippery so they can grasp and manipulate easier. Add 1/4 cup of the corn starch and 1/4 cup of coconut oil into a large mixing bowl.Mix together with a spoon until it starts to look like a smooth, buttery mixture.

We all know that children will wipe eyes with messy hands or try to sneak a taste test so just keep this in mind. There is some minor risk but the benefits of this type of play far outweigh those risks in my opinion – especially if you are using the recipes below rather than the current popular options made with materials like Borax, starch and PVA glue which I prefer not to use around young children. And even better… you will be saving money too! What defines a slime recipe?I get asked this a lot – along with many of the other sensory activities I share and my answer is always the same NO! As long as you use safe/edible materials and supervise (as you always should with this age anyway!)Don't leave babies and toddlers out of the fun and learning opportunities just because they require closer supervision around this type of play!

It is a wonderful sensory experience and I dare you not to want to put your own hands in there too – a lovely stress buster for anxious children (or stressed educators!) It also smells beautiful. Because it is soap based do watch the possibility of getting in the eyes. Speaking from my own experiences using this over the years I have never had a child complain about it hurting their eyes but I know some may find it stings like any soap in the eye can. 2. Squishy Foamy Slime Cup WaterFood colouring or edicol colour dyes {Optional} I used edicol dye because I use them to colour my DIY cornflour paint base as well and they wash out of clothes so easily!

Add a bowl of plastic syringes or eyedroppers for older children to practice drawing up the slime then squirting it out. To be honest, I very rarely measure with this one – you can make more or less you just need to experiment a little to get the consistency you are happy with – sometimes I add more gelatin than this or a little more dishwashing liquid. You don't need to be too precise, the fun is in the experimentation process anyway! What to do next… Add scissors for 3 years up and watch as they try to cut through the stretchy slime to make smaller pieces. Provide blunt butter knives as another way to strengthen and explore cutting skills.

PLEASE NOTE : Although I define these recipes as safe for use around young children there is always still a need for common sense and close supervision when offering these type of experiences to younger children – some are obviously better suited to toddlers who aren't at the mouthing stage but you know the developmental stages and capacities of your children the best so please modify according to individual needs. Cut up different sized and coloured kitchen sponges and scourers and encourage children to squish, create patterns and paint with the slime. If you have children who don't like messy hands just clip a peg to the sponges so they aren't touching the slime yet.

Simply spread out on a table and invite those little fingers to get busy squelching, pouring, fingerpainting, cooking, drawing patterns and so much more. Tip onto a tray or into a few bowls and let the messy fun begin! You might also like to try some of the ideas below. To turn the mixture into slime, just take the play dough with you in the bath tub or add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. Collect all the bikes and cars to setup a large carwash station using the foamy slime and big sponges to wash. Hose everyone off afterwards – lots of fun on a hot day. Add your tbsp of Metamucil to your bowlAdd a few drops of colour or 1/4 teaspoon of edicol dye if you want colour slime

Pour into a few different trays placed on the grass and help older babies and toddlers walk through the slime or go stomping in slimy puddles! Provide a basket of baby safe loose parts for them to use and investigate with the slime ( see this post for loose part ideas) Some of the slime recipes contain all of these elements, some only 1 or 2…but they are all lots of fun for exploring with the senses, investigating and experimenting through play. 1. Soapy Slippery Slime Leave for 30 minutes (often you only need 10 but it will be a little slimier if you wait longer!) . Carefully pour onto a tray or board to cool down. Mine seemed to firm up a little as well after resting . It will be very hot so please be careful transferring from bowl.Leave on the bench to soak in the water overnight. The balls absorb the water, become nearly translucent and swell (so make sure you use a large bowl!) Add dolls and dolly clothes along with a tub of water and use the soap slime to shampoo dolly's hair and wash clothes. Make sure to rinse and provide pegs and a low line so they can hang up their washing to dry. You really don't need precise measurements for this one – I don't think I have ever measured the powder out, it's all about trial and error and how much you want to make. But you can start with these measurements and modify from there for a large tub. Older children will enjoy the processes of measuring, mixing, pouring, whisking and kneading and you can go into greater detail about the scientific processes taking place. If you are making slime with a multi age group the babies and toddlers will often watch how the older children are playing and then try to replicate or explore in their own way.