Looking to learn how to make slime at home? This guide walks you through several easy, safe, and fun slime recipes that are perfect for kids, beginners, and anyone who loves DIY crafts.

# What You Need to Know Before Making Slime

Before you start, keep these points in mind:

  • Adult supervision is recommended, especially when using activators like borax or contact lens solution.
  • Avoid getting slime in your eyes, mouth, or hair.
  • Wash your hands before and after playing with slime.
  • Keep slime away from carpets, fabric, and pets.

If you’re doing this with children, set up a clean workspace and cover the table with baking paper or a plastic tablecloth.

# Classic Slime Recipe (With PVA Glue & Contact Solution)

This is one of the most popular and reliable slime recipes. It’s often called contact solution slime or saline solution slime.

# Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) white PVA school glue (e.g., Elmer’s)
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
  • 1–2 tablespoons saline/contact lens solution
    (must contain boric acid and sodium borate in the ingredients)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • Optional:
    • A few drops of food coloring
    • Glitter, confetti, or small foam beads

# Instructions

  1. Mix glue and water

    • In a bowl, combine the glue and water.
    • Stir until fully blended.

  2. Add color and extras

    • Add a few drops of food coloring and mix.
    • Stir in glitter or other add-ins if you like.

  3. Add baking soda

    • Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.
    • This helps thicken the slime.

  4. Activate with contact solution

    • Add 1 tablespoon of contact lens solution and stir.
    • You’ll see the slime start to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
    • If it’s still sticky, add up to 1 more tablespoon slowly, stirring between each small addition.

  5. Knead the slime

    • Once it forms a clump, take it out and knead it with clean hands for 2–3 minutes.
    • If it’s too sticky, add a few more drops of contact solution and keep kneading.

Your classic slime is ready to stretch, squish, and poke!

# Fluffy Slime Recipe (Light and Airy Texture)

Fluffy slime is super soft and puffy thanks to shaving foam. Kids love the texture.

# Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup (160 ml) white PVA glue
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) shaving foam/foam shaving cream (not gel)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1–2 tablespoons saline/contact lens solution
  • Optional:
    • Food coloring
    • A few drops of lotion for extra stretch

# Instructions

  1. Combine glue and shaving foam

    • In a bowl, add the glue.
    • Add shaving foam and stir gently until fully combined.

  2. Add color and lotion (optional)

    • Add food coloring and mix until uniform.
    • Mix in a few drops of lotion for stretchiness.

  3. Add baking soda

    • Stir in baking soda thoroughly.

  4. Add contact solution

    • Start with 1 tablespoon, mixing continuously.
    • Add small amounts (1/2 teaspoon at a time) until the slime clumps together and pulls from the bowl.

  5. Knead well

    • Knead for several minutes. Fluffy slime is stickier at first but will become soft and pillowy as you work it.

Fluffy slime is best enjoyed fresh, as it deflates over a day or two.

# Borax Powder Slime Recipe (Stronger, Stretchy Slime)

If you’re comfortable using borax powder as an activator, this recipe gives a firmer, very stretchy slime.

# Ingredients

Activator solution:

  • 1 cup (240 ml) warm water
  • 1 teaspoon borax powder (sodium tetraborate)

Slime base:

  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) white PVA glue
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
  • Food coloring (optional)

# Instructions

  1. Make the borax solution

    • In a separate container, dissolve 1 teaspoon borax powder in 1 cup warm water.
    • Stir until completely dissolved. This is your activator; you will not use all of it.

  2. Make the glue mixture

    • In a bowl, mix glue and 1/2 cup water until smooth.
    • Add food coloring and stir.

  3. Add activator slowly

    • Add 1 tablespoon at a time of the borax solution to the glue mixture, stirring continuously.
    • The slime will begin to form quickly.

  4. Knead and adjust

    • Once it forms a ball, remove it from the bowl and knead.
    • If it’s still sticky, add a few drops more borax solution and keep kneading.
    • Avoid adding too much, or the slime will become rubbery and break easily.

# No-Glue, No-Borax Slime-Style Dough (Safer for Young Kids)

Classic slime needs glue, but if you want something very kid-safe and easy, try this slime-like dough. It’s more like stretchy putty but great for sensory play.

# Cornstarch and Conditioner “Slime”

# Ingredients

  • 2 cups cornstarch (cornflour)
  • About 1 cup hair conditioner (silicone-based, thick type works best)
  • Food coloring (optional)

# Instructions

  1. Mix cornstarch and conditioner

    • Add cornstarch to a bowl.
    • Add conditioner a little at a time, mixing with a spoon or hands.

  2. Adjust texture

    • Keep adding conditioner until the mixture becomes soft, stretchy, and dough-like.
    • If it’s too sticky, add more cornstarch.
    • If it’s too dry, add more conditioner.

  3. Add color (optional)

    • Mix in food coloring until uniform.

This mixture doesn’t act exactly like traditional slime, but kids enjoy the soft, stretchable texture, and ingredients are generally gentler.

# Creative Slime Variations

Once you master a basic slime recipe, you can experiment with different textures and looks:

  • Glitter slime: Add lots of fine glitter.
  • Clear slime: Use clear PVA glue instead of white glue (great for “galaxy slime” or “ocean slime”).
  • Galaxy slime: Make several colors (dark blue, purple, black), then twist them together and add glitter or star confetti.
  • Crunchy slime: Mix in foam beads or plastic beads.
  • Glow-in-the-dark slime: Use glow-in-the-dark paint or pigment powder.
  • Scented slime: Add a drop or two of skin-safe fragrance oil or vanilla extract (avoid if allergies are a concern).

Always add extras after you’ve formed a base slime, then knead them in thoroughly.

# How to Store Slime Properly

To keep your slime from drying out or getting dirty:

  • Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag.
  • Keep it at room temperature, away from direct sunlight or heat.
  • Make sure hands are clean before playing.
  • If it starts to dry out, you can sometimes revive it with:
    • A few drops of water (for glue slime)
    • A few drops of lotion or baby oil for stretch and softness

If slime smells bad, changes color strangely, or grows mold, throw it away and make a fresh batch.

# Common Slime Problems and Easy Fixes

1. Slime is too sticky

  • Add a small amount of activator (contact solution or borax solution) and knead.
  • Add just a few drops at a time, or it will become too hard.

2. Slime is too stiff or breaks easily

  • Knead in a few drops of water or unscented lotion.
  • Warm it slightly in your hands and stretch gently.

3. Slime won’t form / stays liquid

  • Check your contact solution ingredients: it must contain boric acid or sodium borate.
  • Add a little more baking soda (for contact-solution recipes) and then more activator.

4. Slime sticks to clothes or fabric

  • Let it dry completely, then peel off as much as possible.
  • Soak the area with warm water and a bit of vinegar, then launder as usual.

# Safety Tips and Important Notes

  • Some ingredients (borax, boric acid in contact solution) can cause skin irritation in sensitive users. If redness or itching occurs, discontinue use and wash thoroughly.
  • Do not let children eat or chew slime.
  • Supervise young children at all times.
  • Avoid making huge batches if you don’t plan to play with them; slime eventually breaks down and should be disposed of in the trash (not the sink).

For more detailed information on handling borax and household chemicals safely, you can read general safety guidance from organizations like NIH or similar reputable health sites in your region.

# Summary

To make slime at home you mainly need:

  • A base: usually white or clear PVA school glue
  • An activator: contact lens solution + baking soda, or dissolved borax
  • Optional add-ins: food coloring, glitter, foam beads, shaving foam, lotion

By starting with the classic contact-solution slime, you can quickly move on to fluffy slime, clear slime, and many creative variations. With proper storage and safety practices, homemade slime is a fun, inexpensive craft and a great sensory activity for kids and adults alike.

If you’d like, you can ask for:

  • A printable slime recipe card
  • A classroom-friendly slime recipe
  • Or a slime science explanation (how the chemical reaction works)