How to make slimes with your own hands – video instructions

Not only are slimes a fun toy for kids, but they’re also an excellent way to learn some basic science and explore creativity. A fun and engaging activity that keeps kids occupied is making slime at home. In addition, it’s a chance for parents and children to bond over time spent making something bright and squishy by hand.

We’ll teach you how to make slimes in this guide using basic ingredients that you most likely already have in your kitchen. A recipe for gooey slime that is classic or fluffy and sparkly is available for everyone to enjoy. You’ll be able to follow along with ease and see exactly how each type of slime is made thanks to step-by-step video instructions.

A satisfying and enjoyable project for a rainy day or just something different to try, creating slimes at home is a satisfying experience. Let’s get started and make some slime of our own!

“How it works” + video instructions for making slime

In addition to being fantastic stress-relieving toys for kids and adults alike, slimes—also known as "lizuns" in Russia—also serve as many kids’ introduction to chemistry and physics. This material is for you if your child has already consumed liters of glue trying to make slime on his own and has plagued you with questions about "how does this happen"!

We’ll show you everything in pictures and videos and tell you everything!

• What are the slimes that you can buy in the store made of
• How to make slime at home

• PVA glue and borax: recipe and chemical reaction

• Why slime doesn"t work?
• Video: how to make slime

Slime toys were around when most modern young moms were growing up. They most likely even recall the origin of the name "lizun," which is none other than the wildly successful animated series "Ghostbusters"! A green, slimy ghost by the name of Slimer—also known as a lizun in the Russian adaptation of the cartoon—is one of the primary characters.

There is a story that claims the original slime was made at her father’s factory by the young daughter of the Mattel owner, who was experimenting with chemicals. It is said that the curious girl was the one who combined guar gum and borax to create a substance with unique qualities. This substance behaves like a non-Newtonian fluid and is viscous, resembling jelly rather than a liquid or solid. It would form a puddle on the surface if left unattended, but it could be kneaded in your hands like plasticine.

The crumpling process, in which the gel transforms into a plastic "chewing gum for your hands" right before your eyes, is more important than the actual "puddle." Slimes became well-known as stress-relieving toys very quickly because it turned out that many people find great tactile pleasure in this straightforward process.

Slime is thought to help with anxiety reduction, concentration, attention switching, the development of fine motor skills, and it can be used to clean your keyboard quickly and effectively of small debris.

Using basic materials like glue, baking soda, and contact lens solution, parents and kids can enjoy a fun and easy craft of making slimes at home. This post offers detailed video instructions that will walk you through the procedure and guarantee that each time you make slime, it will be safe, stretchy, and colorful. Homemade slime offers countless opportunities for entertainment and education, whether you’re looking for a craft project, a sensory play activity, or just a way to keep the kids occupied. Watch the videos to learn how to create your own slimes using only a few basic household items!

What are the slimes that you can buy in the store made of

I’m sure you’re wondering what ingredients went into making the first "legendary" slime. We clarify: gum is a sort of resin that is obtained from different parts of some trees and is a solidified, sticky juice. It is a naturally occurring polymer from a chemical perspective. Certain gums, like guar gum, which is extracted from the seeds of the guar plant, an annual member of the legume family and sometimes referred to as the "pea tree," are used specifically for industrial uses. Guar gum is a common stabilizer and gelling agent in the food and cosmetics industries. Additionally, it forms a colloidal solution—a suspension of minute, finely dispersed particles—when combined with water.

This guar gum colloidal solution served as the foundation for the initial slimes, which Mattel began producing in 1976. They were given a small amount of green dye to make them more akin to a cartoon ghost. They quickly dried out, but even in the unlikely event that you swallowed a piece, you would be completely safe.

Guar gum, after all, helps suppress appetite, lowers blood levels of cholesterol and saturated fats, and is essentially not absorbed in the intestines. However, you’re still not required to consume slimes since

The majority of manufacturers used synthetic polymers in place of the guar gum in the original recipe. Although they are typically biologically inert (though high individual sensitivity may result in allergic reactions), certain additives used as plasticizers, colorants, and scent enhancers

I even came upon an article detailing the findings of analyses of the most well-liked slimes made in China while preparing this content. One-third of the samples contained lead, nickel, cadmium, and arsenic in concentrations that were almost at the maximum allowable limit, and two-thirds of the samples had high boron concentrations (two to three times higher than the allowable limit). The majority of the slime samples that were analyzed had labels that did not accurately reflect their chemical makeup.

Against the background of this information, the advantage of homemade slime recipes is obvious – the composition is known in advance, and the quality and safety of the additives can be controlled by an adult. The date and time of slime production are also known, and if stored properly, it will not dry out ahead of time. Not to mention that the experience of making slime yourself is much more interesting than just buying a ready-made one! So if your blonde princess asks you to buy her liter packages of superglue and borax (sodium tetraborate) in glycerin, do not panic! Perhaps, soon you will become the owner of a whole brood of fabulously beautiful, pleasant to the touch and almost instantly stress-relieving slimes.

How to make slime at home

There are numerous recipes available, ranging from the simple "shampoo + starch + oil" option to intricate concoctions containing twelve ingredients. Such a set initially resembles the assortment list of a home improvement store. But every additive has a distinct meaning of its own!

• PVA glue (base) and borax (thickener);
• stationery glue (base) and alcohol (thickener).

You can obtain a plastic mass with either of the mixture variations, but the second one will be transparent (you can even create a bouncy ball if you modify the component ratio just a little).

Let’s examine the chemical makeup of slime and the reactions that take place in each scenario.

PVA glue and borax

This is the general recipe: "Dissolve a small amount of borax in water, add to PVA glue, mix thoroughly, and use your hands to knead the resulting mass to the desired consistency." Suggested additions for the recipe may include food coloring, glitter, shaving foam, toothpaste, shampoo, liquid soap, and washing gel, among other things.

We will focus a bit more on the chemical structures of each of the main reagents in order to understand what is happening in the solution when they are mixed.

• PVA (full name – polyvinyl acetate) – This is a polymer of complex ether – vinyl acetate. Vinyl acetate, in turn, consists of two “parts” – vinyl alcohol and acetic acid. The glue of PVA known to everyone is a water emulsion of polyvinyl acetate.
• Drill (sodium tetrable) When it enters the water, dissolves. The solution has an alkaline reaction (since it is a salt of a strong base – sodium hydroxide, and weak boric acid).

The polyvinyl acetate molecules decay when the resulting alkaline solution is added to the PVA emulsion; from them, acetic acid molecules are "pushed," but vinyl alcohol molecules stay in the polymer chain (the acetic acid smell is the right sign that everything is happening).

As a result, different polymer chains are attached to by the boric acid in the solution, effectively "cross-linking" them. When rubber is vulcanized, a similar reaction mechanism occurs (in the manufacture of rubber). Recall from your high school chemistry class that a substance’s density and hardness increase with the number of these "links" connecting polymer chains. Thus, we are left with a thick, viscous slime made of molecules of polyvinyl alcohol!

Examine dry spaghetti (polyvinyl alcohol chains) and overcooked spaghetti that has clumped together into a single lump (cross-linked polymer) to see how the process works.

You can now conduct experiments after learning the fundamentals of the process’s chemistry. For instance, if soda is added to PVA first, an alkaline solution is produced. Next, boric acid is added to the polyvinyl alcohol chains to "cross-link" them.

However, not every recipe you find online will work to produce the desired outcome. Why was the recipe ineffective? How could something go wrong?

• The main reason for the failure is sodium tetrable did not dissolve well in water, and the necessary concentration of alkali is not achieved.

If sodium tetrabera is dissolved in hot water, allowed to cool to room temperature, and then combined with PVA glue, this problem can be resolved.

• The reason for the failure may be PVA glue itself. After all, different companies use Different additives to give the glue additional properties. General rule: the fewer additives, the better.

Consequently, it is preferable to purchase the least expensive glue that lacks any unique qualities (like resistance to frost).

• The terms and storage conditions of glue are important. The fact is that over time (as well as after freezing or overheating) The emulsion of polyvinyl acetate is divided into a liquid fraction And insoluble sediment. We partially turn this process – if the delayed glue is long and thoroughly, the emulsion can be restored for a short time, but soon it can delay again.

Slime cannot be made with exfoliated glue. Take fresh glue that was manufactured no more than two months ago. If the slime still does not turn out because you used the incorrect glue, you can try to salvage the situation by adding more additives that will "take on" the extra liquid and aid in reaching the right consistency. Such an additive will typically consist of a filler that is chemically inert, such as a variety of polysaccharides. For this, a number of sources suggest toothpaste (the methylcellulose in the formula acts as a filler), talc, starch, and gelatin.

In addition to the base, the slime may contain various components to give it special properties.

For instance, you can add a little oil or surfactants (surface-active substances) to the slime to make it more flexible and prevent it from drying out too quickly. If Lizun has dried out, the same additives aid in bringing it back to life and soften the resulting mass if too much brown was added during manufacture. Lotions, shampoos, dishwashing liquid, laundry gel, contact lens fluid, and toothpaste all contain surfactants.

Shaving foam is an essential ingredient in airy slime recipes. The solution is saturated with gas bubbles (foamed), and the foam is based on synthetic polymers. As a result, shaving foam gives slime another "building material" while also adding lightness and airiness.

Stationery glue and alcohol

Transparent slime is made with stationery gel. Liquid glass is an alkaline solution of potassium and sodium silicates, as opposed to PVA glue (emulsion).

The most widely used recipe calls for roughly equal parts of liquid glass and ethyl alcohol. This results in a gelatinous mass, or gel, that is subsequently cleaned with cold water.

What takes place? The landing process occurs when one of the constituents of a solution precipitates upon the addition of a third substance. What’s within the sediment, too? We are talking about a polycondensation reaction, not polymerization, because silicic acid forms different polymer structures as a result of the polycondensation reaction, including linear and branched polymers, and water is also released.

When combining alcohol and office glue, there are very few "something went wrong" scenarios. This recipe is nearly guaranteed to work.

However, you’ll have to play around with the amount of ingredients and alcohol concentration to get the right consistency for your slime. The slime is generally denser the more alcohol there is in it.

Transparent slimes typically include glitters and shimmers as extra ingredients. It is also possible to add additional ingredients, but doing so will cause the slime to become opaque.

Both children and adults can enjoy the creative and entertaining activity of making slimes at home. You can make slimes in a variety of colors, textures, and even scents with just a few basic ingredients. It’s an excellent opportunity to investigate science and engage with a project that offers countless customizability.

In addition to stimulating creativity, creating slime improves fine motor skills and offers a calming sensory experience for many. It’s also a fantastic family-bonding activity that gives everyone the chance to collaborate and experience the thrill of making something from start.

Always put safety first! Children should always be supervised, especially when handling materials like borax and glue. After handling slime, make sure to wash your hands and store it properly to preserve its freshness for later use. Gather your materials and get experimenting—making your own slimes at home is now simpler than ever thanks to the clear video instructions!

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