Elmer’s Slime Recipe: DIY Kid’s Worry-Free Slime Recipe

ByCrystal @ Surviving a Teacher's Salary

You may remember that last year I tried a toddler-friendly slime recipe that pretty much was a messy gooey disaster! With all the bad coverage slime has gotten in the news I love that there are still people that love slime!

You can find an entire page of Elmer’s slime recipes here along with tips & tricks to create your own batch and of course recipes like our magnetic slime recipe and glitter slime recipe!

elmer's worry free slime recipe collage showing the tutorial process of how to make slime for kids

Although our Mud Slime recipe has been INSANELY popular (as well as our Science Store with teacher approved educational products!)! In fact they even sent us this great recipe and photos to go along with it for you! Here is a great slime “alternative” recipe that you can safely use for kids ages 3 and up!

How to Make ELMER’S SLIME RECIPE & INSTRUCTIONS:


Elmer’s Slime Ingredients:

How to Make Elmer’s Slime Directions:

Pouring elmer's white school glue into a kitchen bowl as the first step in making slime recipe

  1. Find a bowl, cup, or plate to mix your slime in.

  2. Pour out the entire contents of a 4oz of Elmer’s school glue into the bowl.

  3. Add ½ TBSP of baking soda and mix.

  4. After mixing, add your choice of food coloring.

  5. Mix and/or add more food coloring until you get the color you want.

  6. Add 1 TBSP of Contact solution. Mix Elmer's official slime recipe thoroughly in a kitchen bowl until ready for kids to play

  7. Mix until slime forms and it begins to get harder to mix.

  8. Take the slime out and begin kneading with both of your hands.

  9. If needed, add ¼ TBSP Contact solution to make the slime less sticky.

Check out our MAGNETIC SLIME RECIPE here!

 


*Adult supervision is required; This project is not appropriate for children under the age of 3 years

*Warning: “If large quantities of contact solution are accidentally ingested (greater than a tablespoon), get medical attention immediately.”

Additional things to add to your slime recipe:

  • sequins
  • pom pom balls
  • glitter
  • foam balls
  • confetti
  • beads
  • googly eyes
  • glow in the dark powder
  • iron oxide (magnetic)
  • sand
  • tiny toys (bugs, spiders, etc)
  • jewels
  • buttons

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Purchase DIY Slime ingredients here! Don’t forget these highly recommended storage containers! OR check out our SCIENCE STORE for more great ideas!


Check out our other DIY Sensory Recipes!

DIY Make Your Own Sensory Kinetic Sand RecipeHomemade Play Dough Recipeedible sensory snow alternativesedible sensory snow alternativesMake Your Own Art Sand Tutorial - Non Toxic & Edible
rainforest frogs sensory bin and mud slime recipe play for kids

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114 Comments

  1. What can I substitute for contact solution? That stuff is expensive, and I don’t want to purchase it for just a tablespoon.

      1. Hi do you know a good alternative for contact solution for children with sensitive skin or eczema? We tried a recipe like this at my work and I think one of the kids was sensitive to the contact solution.

        1. I don’t – aside from the regular borax solution, but I’m guessing if you have a child with sensitive skin they won’t be able to use that either. The contact solution works because it has boric acid in it. I’ll have to look around for another option!

          1. They could be sensitive to the baking soda. Some people are pretty sensitive to it and can’t use deodorants that contain baking soda.

    2. I think the phrasing “contact solution” is misleading. It’s not the contact cleaning solution but the saline that you’d use for this recipe, and saline is pretty inexpensive (and useful even without wearing contacts)

  2. I’ve tried this recipe and had no success. Not sure what I could’ve done wrong. Has anyone else tried it? I seem to have the most success with the recipe that uses glue and luquid starch.

    2. I just watched another slime video and the reason the contact solution is needed is because many of them have boric acid in them. Without the boric acid, the slime will not become slime. This recipe should be changed to say contact solution WITH boric acid. Otherwise it’s just going to be a weird glue mixture.

        1. I just followed the recipe, turned out runny, checked the contact solution… No boric acid

        3. Can you add to the ingredient list for contact solution to check ingredient for what is needed in it. I bought one without it

      2. Worked great did it a couple times and used equate saline solution which comes in a 2 pack for $3.76 and will have it for many slime recipes to coke thanks!!

    4. We have been using this recipe and it’s perfect! We did notice we needed a few more drops of contact solution.

  7. This worked great my boys loved it! Do you store it at room air? And how long do you keep yours before it goes bad?

  8. I am using contact lens solutions and it is still runny – is it saline solution instead? Also, is the quantity correct at tablespoons vs. teaspoons? Added more glue and tons more baking soda and it’s still not getting thick enough! Three very disappointed kids and wasted $

    2. When mixing I used saline solution, and when it says 1/2 tbsp, I used 1tsp. Not sure if that makes the difference or not.

  9. Just mixed up a batch to use tomorrow in vacation bible school and it turned out great! Thanks so much. My 5 & 7 yr olds helped me and had so much fun. Couldn’t believe how quickly it came together in less than 5 minutes.

  10. I did it this morning for my daughter & she loves it! It turned out great, I followed the directions as they’re listen. I’m only wondering how to store it. A ziploc bag maybe?

  11. Made this with my girls. The slime came out perfect. They played with it for hours. My only problem was that after hours of play one of my daughter’s slime became more solid than pliable. Is there any way to loosen it back up? Thank you.

  13. Ours didn’t work. The finished product was so stiff. I mixed it for over 10 mins by hand and it got softer but not slime soft. So then I added more contact solution and it was stiff and hard again.

  14. Some of the problems might be associated with poor directions. People often get abbreviations for teaspoons and tablespoons mixed up. Also, it’s very awkward in writing recipes to say 1/2 TBSP baking soda. Many people might not know that 3 teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon so the best way to say it is 1 1/2 teaspoons rather than 1/2 tablespoon. Then, when you’re saying add 1/4 tablespoon would clearly be a challenge because that less than a teaspoon which means you would have to measure 3/4 teaspoon.

  15. The slime is coming together nicely but the contact solution seems separates after an hour or so. How can i keep that from happening?

  19. I planned to store it in plastic containers (tupperware type) at room temperature, does this sound right? Also, does it go bad or loose it’s texture or pliability after a period of time…if so how long will it last?

  20. This is way too runny. I am not sure how people are getting different results. I followed the directions exactly and it is very liquid-y.

          1. Crystal, could it be that how you separate the ingredients with your spoon measures impact the results. OR could you have corn starch that’s of a finer OR thicker grain than the others that people may be using? OR could it be you are placing your mixing container in an area that’s warmer OR cooler than what others may be using? Could it be that because cornstarch with cold water stirred thoroughly then mixed into ‘soups or gravies’ becomes a thickener that heating the glue could allow the mixers to have better results?

  21. Just got my arm workout in for the day stirring for 15 minutes straight with no results. Then I read everyone’s comments and see it’s not contact solution but saline, which is completely different than contact solution. Oh well. Maybe I’ll try it tomorrow with saline. Or not.

  22. My grandson and I loved making it! He added marbles then glitter and marbles again! Fantastic! Thank you for sharing

  23. Followed it to the “T” and it didn’t work. It’s very runny. One very disappointed 9 year old! Sigh!

  24. If it calls for SALINE SOLUTION then the recipe should say that. Contact solution is a very different thing. I also tried this and it was very runny and did not work. What a waste.

  25. I used contact solution and followed the ingredients and had no trouble. My toddler even threw in the other stuff before we were ready and it still worked out fine. Mine was like a looser silly putty consistency. She loves it! Thanks!

  27. Just made this with my 2 grandsons. They each had their own bowl. It turned out great! They loved it. Ages 8 and 9. I had fun making it with them too!!????
    Followed the recipe and add a couple extra drops of solution so as to be less sticky.

  28. How do you store it once you’ve made it? Baggies? Plastic bowl w/lid? Room temperature? Refrigerate?

  29. I too followed this exactly and used contact solution but it’s still the consistency of the glue after 10 mins of stirring. Darn!

  31. So… i used a bottle of green and gold chunky glitter glue i found at the dollar store years ago, random brand, eye balled the 4 oz from an 8 oz bottle. Eye balled 1.5 tsp of baking soda into the glue, mixed for maybe a minute… until it foamed and settled back down. Looked mixed enough. Eye balled the saline solution and slapped the goopy sticky mess into my hand and hoped for the best. It stuck to everything! 30 seconds later it smells… interesting, but its the coolest putty!! Best texture and consistency!

  32. I just made this with my daughter and she loves it. It came out more “gak” consistency than slime. I was glad to find this recipe that uses baking soda because I couldn’t find liquid starch in any stores, and I didn’t plan ahead to order any online. Next time I’m going to try the 1 1/2 teaspoon measurement rather than eyeball 1/2 tablespoon to see if that makes any difference with the consistency.

  34. Interesting that everyone is having varied results. Ours in very RUNNY. I added more baking soda because I’m hesitant to add more liquid. I know all the ingredients are cheap enough but this feels like such a waste. Bummed kiddo.

  35. We made this tonight. It was super sticky and I kept adding contact solution until it was a fun non sticky consistency. The directions needs to add more contact solution. Maybe 2-3 tablespoons

  36. The key to the “contact lens solution” problem is it needs to have boric acid in the solution. That’s usually found in buffered saline solutions. Just check the ingredients for sodium borate or boric acid. Then it works great!

  37. Thank you so much for this great recipe! I did it today with my three kids and it worked perfectly! They are now happy playing with their slime.

    Adriele.

  38. Worked great thank you! Follow directions ppl and it will work great 3 happy kids equal happy mamba here! ????????????????????

  44. Thank you so much! This is the second time I make this recipe for my kids and it turned out great again. This recipe is a keeper!!!

  46. We tried this 4 Times, all exactly the same followed recipe to the t, only one came out, the rest harden right up, what is causing this, and can I get it soften up?

  47. Well, this was a disaster, and my pouty pre-teen is so upset! It’s so hard and does not stretch, but breaks apart! She tried adding shaving cream to try to make it fluffy, but it didn’t work. I don’t recommend this recipe.

  49. At first this did not work for me. I realized I did not use a contact solution, Complete multi-purpose, that did not have boric acid in it. Got my equate moisture last multi purpose solution and it worked great! Also, you cannot use the cheap Dollar General glue. I experimented and it DID not work. Elmer’s worked great.

    1. Thanks Lori for the input! Yes! Specific brands have particular ingredients that work together to make this recipe work! I think that is why so many people have had issues – they are simply using the wrong materials. I’m glad that you enjoyed it!

  50. We’ve just made this slime, and followed the directions exactly *using the recommended Bio-true brand which says “multipurpose solution” on the box*. We bought a bottle of pink glitter glue, and a bottle of blue glitter glue, so we have enough to make 3 batches of slime. It’s come out perfectly. We were not ay all confused about the amounts, because TBSP vs Tsp are common notations for recipes. A set of measuring spoons should contain b the th, marked just like that.

  51. This recepie sucks! We did everything exactly how the recepie said and nothing. Then I added I don’t even know how much more corn starch and nothing. It came out looking like colored glue. Very disappointed.

  53. I followed this recipe exactly how it is written and it worked out great! It was pretty sticky at first but the longer I kneaded it, the less sticky it got. Very fun project — thanks for sharing! 🙂

  54. I’m using this recipe with my beaver scouts , I need to make 35 small pots how will my measurements differ for this quantity

  55. We fillowed the directions and texture is perfect. Unfortunately the food coloring is getting all over us! Any thoughts on what I might have done wrong?

  56. The biggest waste of time, money and my kids are bummed. Read the comments before starting bc the directions are there but not thorough!

  57. This recipe went awesome! Initially the kids got really upset because it was so sticky and sticking to their hands, after sprinkling a little more baking soda and adding a little bit more contact solution it worked fine. Aside from the ingredients, all you need to make this recipe successful is patience! We based what we did on the recipe and then continued to add what we thought might make the recipe successful, and it was! Thanks for this awesome recipe!

  61. Mine came out way too hard. Think stiff silly putty. Not slime at all. Tried twice- mixed each stage much longer the second time. Added 1.5tsp baking soda. Not sure what’s wrong.

    1. Alicia, did you make sure the glue you were using was the Elmer’s SCHOOL glue, not one of the other Elmer’s products on the market? I think the recipes are different based on chemicals and more things. I’ve never tried the recipe, but I don’t have Elmer’s school glue just the Elmer’s GLUE-ALL in my cabinet.

  63. So for this recipe:
    • 1/2 TBSP [1.5 teaspoons] of Baking Soda
    • 1 TBSP [3 teaspoons] of Contact Solution[/Saline solution containing Boric Acid “That’s usually found in buffered saline solutions. Just check the ingredients for sodium borate or boric acid.”] (USE BioTrue or Up & Up brands or “Equate Moisture Last”! [Or other brands with the correct ingredients.])
    • 4 fl oz Elmer’s White SCHOOL GLUE [Dollar General glue didn’t work, the Elmer’s did.]
    • Your choice of food coloring
    o [AND Make sure you plan on doing correct measures, the amount variations can greatly impact the work results. Generally there is a filled spoon, then it’s flattened into the spoon with the excess amounts being returned to the original containers. The amounts using a knife edge so that too much isn’t used vary with the moist ingredients. Generally a thorough mix of the dry ingredients needs completing before adding in any of the other moist ingredients, this is the same with cake mixing, pie crust mixing, and pancake batter mixing.]

    With reading how many grandparents have said this worked fine, it can be that the ingredient specificity as well as the amount accuracies have a great influence on the results. But I don’t have any Elmer’s SCHOOL glue in my cabinet now, there’s only Elmer’s GLUE-ALL, so I’m pretty sure I’d fail to make the mix correctly.

  64. I think you should change the ingredients to list only the correct type of contact solutions. It’s a complete waste of ingredients if you don’t use the right type.

  65. Worked great, used cra-z-art washable glue (it’s what I had) and I use bio true solution for my contacts and it turned out great! I used mica powder instead of food coloring. Thank you! Happy sons = happy mom!

  66. My daughters slime came out awesome! The texture isn’t too runny or sticky which is a plus but it’s still really stretchy! She loves it! We used opti free contact solution

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