Homemade Glow In the Dark Slime

One of my favorite end of year parties is a science party.  The kids LOVE them and I love that we can actually TEACH them something while they are having fun.  My typical science party includes making slime, making ice cream and "the diet coke and mento's" experiment (if the kiddos are 3rd grade and above). 


I usually order a Steve Spangler classroom slime kit.  If you don't know of this company I would HIGHLY recommend it.  They are amazing.  Their classroom slime kit is around $40 and though it pretty much blew my budget, it had everything I needed and I didn't have to do anything but show up with it to school.  It has every supply you need, a sealed container (so the bus drivers don't hate you) for the kiddos to take their slime home in, instructions and a detailed lesson plan.  The first time I ordered a kit in the May madness and end of year insanity I procrastinated and placed my order on the last possible day to be shipped to my house in time for the party.  And as always when you wait to the last minute...something goes wrong.  The kit came the day before the party...I actually checked the box at around oh I don't know FIVE O'CLOCK in the evening.  And that's when I noticed I had 24 cups and only 12 lids.  I had a complete meltdown and ran screaming around the house, "why me, why me" and then called the company to tell them the ruined the lives of 12 third grade students.  I calmly called the number on the order form and explained what happened and how my party was at 9AM the next day and I had 24 third grade students who were going to be so disappointed.  Oh and I was BROKE because I spent so much money on the kit!  (Ok let's all agree the truth was somewhere in between.)  Anywho, the chick who answered the phone asked me 3 times to recheck and recount the lids.  To which my snarky self explained I am not a Kindergartner and can COUNT and I was still short 12 lids.  Then she said not to worry I would have the lids by 8am the next day.  I asked her what crack rock she had been smoking because they were in Colorado and I was in Georgia and it was May, not December and Santa wasn't granting wishes and making magical deliveries.  She told me to trust her.  What choice did I have, so I hung up the phone and continued my rant. And I kid you not...when I awoke the next morning those 12 lids were on my doorstep.  The company had express overnight-ed them.  The bill that Steve Spangler paid was in the label part of the package.  It cost them almost $100 to ship me those lids.  Remember I paid $40 for the actual kit.  They seriously paid $100 so my 12 third graders would have a lid.  I love this company.  I can not say enough about them!  I ordered from them every year since.



Now, I didn't have $40 in my budget this year.  And if you don't have $40 in your budget here's how to make it on your own MUCH cheaper.  Here is what you need for a class of 30 or less:

1. Clear Glue (I used two and a half 5oz bottles)
2. Borax (2tsp)
3. HOT water
4. 1 Highlighter (I used an old green one)
5. 2 large containers with lids to transport the solutions in to school
6. Measuring spoons 
7. 8oz Plastic snack containers WITH lids for each student.  I used these I bought at the dollar store (they came 4 to a pack)
8. Plastic table covered for the classroom - your teacher will thank you.

First solution - In one container mix 2 cups HOT water with 2 cups clear Elmer's glue (you need to measure the glue exactly but I used one and a quarter 5oz bottles to get 1 cup). Stir with a spoon.

Second Solution - In another container mix 2 2/3 cup hot water with 2 tsp Borax.  Now if you want your slime a certain color you can soak an old highlighter in the water before you add the borax (and that will actually make it glow under a black light.  Or you can just make clear slime.  Keep these mixtures separate and bring them to school.

Now you can make the slime in any quantity you want but it's basically 2 parts the Elmer's glue solution to one part borax solution.  For each student I used 2 tablespoons Elmer's glue solution to 1 tablespoon borax solution. 

To make the slime you first place the Elmer's glue solution in the container you have.  Then you add the borax solution.  Cover securely with a lid and have the kids shake vigorously for 1 minute or until the liquid turns to a ball of slime.  Then they dump it out and play!  If the mixture is too runny you need to add more borax solution.  If it's too thick you can try to add more Elmer's glue solution or you can just start over.  That's it!!  And this slime stayed slimey all summer - until I got sick of seeing it and threw it out.  This total experiment cost me about $15 to make for the class.  And it also was a great "party favor".  It keeps the kids occupied and you can draw out the process by explaining how slime is made if you need to:)