Get Creative – 10 Ways to Play With Slime
Slime is probably one of the most popular ‘toys’ in the last decade. Kids love that they can make it and play with it. But is that just all it is, a gooey slimy mess to squish about?
Playing with slime, or even clay (playdough), is one type of tactile play. This is one of the types of sensory play. It engages their senses. Sensory play encourages the cognitive development of children. It helps with hand-eye coordination and motor skills, and it’s even been proven to help kids manage their anxiety. I mean what’s better than something you can make and play with?! There are many different recipes for making it available on the internet. If you want an easier way to make it that is guaranteed to not trigger any allergies your child may have, use the Elmer’s Glue Slime Kit. It’s cheap and easy to find! So, what can we do with slime?
10 Ways to Play
Slimy Letters
Use plastic toy letters or letter magnets or any other type of shape to make imprints in the slime. Your child can make their name or any other words they feel like making. This is perfect for toddlers learning their letters or learning how to spell.
Shapes
Speaking of letters and spelling, why not have them shape out the letters and words with the slime itself? Or they can make shapes, lines, animals, whatever their hearts desire. Great for developing their dexterity and motor skills.
Bucket Search
Remember that game at the fair where you stick your hand in a bucket of ice water and try to find coins? You can do the same with slime. Stick any old objects in it and let your child search for them. They can count them to make sure all of them are found and develop their number skills at the same time. There’s no end to what you can do with this one.
Scent It!
You can make scented slime! This will add another sense to the activity. You can use calming scents like lavender. You could even remove the labels from the scents and have your child make different slimes and try to guess or match the scents.
Slime Trek
Another fun way to play with it is to make it galaxy themed! You can find an example of how here. This is a great way for them to learn a little about the universe and have fun at the same time.
Let It Glow
Ooo! Glow in the dark! Who didn’t love that growing up?! There are recipes available for you to make glow in the dark slime. The kids can then shape them into whatever they want and then charge them in the sunlight. It’s a great way to get them outdoors as well. They’ll be shaping the moon, stars, and planets to stick on their walls or the ceiling before you know it.
Measure and Drip
Dripping slime is awesome and quite engrossing. Once it is made, hook up a colander or a cooling rack somewhere and place the slime on it. Then wait for it to drip through. The children can time it, or just draw it as it changes shape and drops through.
Erupting Slime
Get explosive with a slime volcano! Yes! Like the usual vinegar and baking soda volcano experiment, but with slime! It’ll give the lava (slime) a more realistic oozing quality.
Out of the Box
Children like toys and sometimes they like crossovers (when you play with different toys together), like a Marvel and DC crossover. Let them use their toys to play with it. It can be quicksand, it can be construction material. If they have dump trucks, cranes, and backhoes, let them get creative with that. “Drive” them over the slime, lift it up, transport it. Get creative.
Beary Fun
This last one is interesting. Bear slime! Whatever color you want brown, black, or Winnie the Pooh yellow. Cut up strands of fuzzy yarn, just like a bear’s fuzzy fur, and mix it in with the slime! The kids can try to shape it into bears, or just get an idea of how fuzzy these omnivores are.
Slime is Science!
Making slime is like being in a lab, it’s a scientific process. It’s not just about playing if you try a little harder. All you have to do is explain how it works. If that doesn’t interest them, it’s okay! Just let them play. The mere fact that they’re mixing different ingredients together and transforming them into something else is simply fun! They’re doing science without even knowing it. It’s discovery and entertainment all in one. So, get slimy!