Slime Recipes for Kids' Process Painting

Homemade slime recipes are kind of awesome! Okay, so these kids’ science activities are way more than awesome – they’re super, extra, amazing sensory fun.

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We’ve made all kinds of slime – solar system, patriotic, alien, feathered, disco, underwater and more. The latest concoction to hit our art table (and, my 14-year-old actually still enjoys this activity) was a sparkle sea ocean creature version. We used glitter to turn the clear goo into an ocean-esque color. Some recipes call for food coloring, or similar products, to color the slimy mix. I prefer fine glitter.

Why use sparkles? Well, I kind of think everything is better with a little glitter. If you use enough it completely colors the slime, and leaves almost no mess behind. It also adds a super-cool sheen. So, why not?

Back to ocean slime activity. After adding little clay sea creature sculptures to it, we found a secondary use – as a painting base. Some people use a canvas, apparently we use goop. But, really… if your kiddo is done with the sensory exploration and you don’t want to store (or toss) the slime, you can use it for this art activity. The slippery, goopy texture adds another layer to your child’s process painting fun. Whether she uses a brush or her hands (I recommend finger painting), it’s an unexpected canvas that’s totally different from what she’s used to.

First things first, you’ll need some slime. Like I said, we used our ocean recipe. But, you can make any color base you want. Here’s what you’ll need:

·        1/3 cup clear Elmer’s school glue

·        1/3 cup water

·        1/3 cup liquid starch

·        Fine glitter – in any color your child wants (or mix a few into a rainbow)

Here’s What to Do:

1. Add the glue and the water together. Mix.

2. Pour the liquid starch in. Mix. It’s pretty slimy now!

3. Stir in the glitter. Fold it over and over and over again.

Now it’s time to paint. Grab your favorite temperas and pour them onto a palette (I like using a sheet of wax paper – it’s inexpensive and really works). Spread the slime across the paper. Make a blob, cloud or other shape.

 

Paint! Your child can brush on a few hues (we made Monet’s Water Lilies in slime paint). Or, go abstract with a process painting splatter ala Jackson Pollock. Who knew such simple slime recipes could turn into artsy fun?