There is no doubt that having a few resources that spark a conversation and interest facilitate engagement when working with children. There are different slime recipes and  types to buy in shops. With lots of experiments, this is my favourite recipe. It is more chunky and together, not liquid at all. It can be a great starter for a session with a child, alternatively, it can be a real treat for the end of session, or a resource to calm and sooth throughout the session…

Ingredients needed:

500 ml of PVA glue

a cup of warm water

cold water

500 ml shaving cream

5 pumps of foaming hand soap

one squirt of baby powder

5 pumps of body lotion

1 teaspoon of borax

Bowl and spoon

Food colouring and sparkling glitter (optional)

Process

Pour the glue in the bowl

Fill each bottle of glue half way with cold water

Mix it until all combined

Put the shaving cream in

Mix it up

Put food colouring in (optional)

Add foaming hand soap, body lotion and baby powder

Mix it all in

In a different cup, add some warm water. Put the borax in and mix up until all the borax is dissolved to create the borax mixture.

Put three teaspoons of the borax mixture into the slime bowl and mix.

It is probably not yet formed but keep on adding the borax mixture until the slime is no longer sticky.

Enjoy! Some ideas with the slime…

To create engaging conversations, put in boxes and add some little creatures in the box. Ask the child to find the little creatures.

Add slime in balloons to create sensory and self-soothing objects. The more robust types of balloons will last longer. By leaving some air and space in the balloon, it creates sounds when playing with it, like pops.

Play with the slime, poke it, make bubbles with it, fold it…express how it feels, describe actions.

Change its textures by adding play foam or loom bands to make it more crunchy. Change the colour or add sparkling glitter to make it different.