Making fluffy slime with glue and shaving cream is a great way to get kids interested in science. Plus, it’s super easy to make at home!
Mix up these three ingredients and some food coloring of your choice, and start playing with fluffy slime. It’s a little stickier than other slime recipes, but it will easily come off skin by sliding or rolling it off. To be safe, have the kids wear old T-shirts, and if you have carpet, put an old towel or sheet down.
Note: A previous version of this post contained instructions for making fluffy slime with contact solution, shaving cream, and Elmer’s glue. Because contact solution requires safety precautions when handling, we have switched to a fluffy slime recipe that uses cornstarch as the slime activator.
Fluffy Slime Ingredients
- 1 cup of glue
- 1/2 cup of shaving cream
- 2 1/2 – 3 cups of cornstarch
- a few drops of food coloring, to your liking
Make Fluffy Slime
1. Empty your glue into a large bowl and add the food coloring little by little, mixing until you get your desired color.
2. Add the shaving cream and mixwell. The mixture will start to get very thick and fluffy.
3. Now you are ready to add in your “slime activator” — the cornstarch. Add it in little by little, continuously stirring. As you start reaching your desired slime consistency, add smaller and smaller amounts of cornstarch. You’ll need between 2 1/2 and 3 cups depending on your cornstarch brand.
4. Stand back, and let the kids have fun!
Bring on the Science!
During this activity, natural questions may come up. If they don’t, start a discussion using the questions below!
- What makes slime stretchy?
- Glue contains flexible chain-like molecules called polymers. Before slime is stretched out, its polymer chains are all scrunched up. When slime gets stretched, the polymer chains unfold and straighten out, which is why slime can stretch without breaking.
- Where can you find slime in nature?
- Some animals produce slime as a defense against predators. When opossums feel threatened, they play dead and release a smelly mucus to ward off the predator. If a hagfish is stressed, it releases a small amount of slime (less than a teaspoon) which instantly expands by 10,000 times! To stay safe at night, parrotfish produce mucus cocoons to sleep in.
- Is slime a liquid or a solid?
- Slime is a non-Newtonian fluid, which means the way it flows changes under stress. If you apply force to slime (slapping it), the stress causes the slime to act like a solid. If you remove stress (holding it in your hands), the slime will flow slowly and ooze like a liquid.
If your child enjoyed making fluffy slime, they’ll love exploring and experimenting with our Science Expeditions subscription! Or shop our STEM kits and products.
