DIY Fluffy Peppermint Holiday Slime

Patria Lincoln Posted On Dec 11, 2017 | STEM

The sensory rich, scientific phenomenon of slime continues to delight children across the country. Here’s a (peppermint) twist on the classic slime recipe sure to keep little hands busy this holiday season.

To make Fluffy Peppermint Holiday Slime, you will need:

• 1 cup Elmer’s white glue (two small bottles)

• 1 tablespoon of Borax

• 1 can of shaving cream

• 1 cup of hot water, ½ cup of room temperature water

• 2 tablespoons of contact solution

• 2 mixing bowls and a spatula

• Food coloring

• Peppermint extract (or peppermint essential oil)

First, create your Borax solution. Adults only for this step! Pour hot water (hot tap water microwaved for 45 seconds or so) into a mixing bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon of Borax. Continue to stir until it is completely dissolved and the water is clear. The hotter the water, the quicker the Borax will dissolve.

Begin to make your slime by pouring 1 cup of Elmer’s glue (must be Elmer’s!) into a large mixing bowl. Add ½ cup of water.

Next, add several drops of food coloring of your choice. Then add 4-5 drops of peppermint extract (or oil) to give it that special holiday scent. Stir.

Add in 3-4 cups of shaving cream. Do not use the gel kind, just straightforward foamy cream. Measure out 2 tablespoons of contact solution and add it to the shaving cream. The saline from the contact solution makes the fluffy slime less sticky.

“Fold” the shaving cream into the glue mixture, using slow motions. Whipping it or stirring too fast will deflate the air pockets in the shaving cream. After you are done combining the shaving cream, the consistency of this mixture will certainly be fluffy, but not moldable yet.

Lastly, reach for your Borax solution. Again, this is for the adults to handle. Add one tablespoon of the solution at a time. Mix. Check your consistency. You will use no more than 3 tablespoons. Pick up the fluffy slime and gently work it through before handing it off to the kids. Make sure it is all well mixed.

This slime is far less sticky and runny. Its fluffy texture makes for a different sensation. And don’t forget it smells like your favorite holiday treats!

Breakout the cookie cutters, cups, and rolling pins for creative fun!

The science behind fluffy slime:

The Elmer’s glue is made up a polymer (a super long chain of repeating molecules) called polyvinyl acetate. The Borax solution creates a bridge between the polymer chains, allowing them to stick together and form a bond. As more and more chains are created and stick together, they can’t move and the solution becomes thicker. Add the shaving cream is literally inserting little air pockets into the slime, giving it its fluffy feel. After a day or so, the fluffy texture of the slime will significantly decrease, because the stronger bonds. This one slime to play with right away!

Slimy Greetings!

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Patria Lincoln | Posted on Jun 21, 2018

DIY 4th of July Slime!

Happy Birthday, America! A Salute to Slime

All hail the red, white, and blue! When it comes to the Fourth of July, America comes together to celebrate these three colors in a big way. And why not celebrate with a little science? Salute America’s birthday with this patriotic-themed slime!

But why do we applaud the colors of red, white, and blue? It is believed that our country’s colors were actually “borrowed” from Union Jack, the flag of Great Britain. Our founding fathers were simply used to red, white and blue. But over the years, each color began to symbolize a different virtue of America:

Red = hardiness, valor

White = purity, innocence

Blue = vigilance, perseverance, and justice

Interesting! Now, let’s get down to the slimy stuff we all want! To make three different types of Fourth of July slime, you will need:

Ingredients:

3 cups of warm tap water, divided

½ cup of white glue

Themed confetti½ cup of clear glue (unless you can source out blue glue)

½ cup of red glitter glue

Contact Lens Solution

Measuring cups, spoons, and mixing bowls

Craft sticks to stir

To make the white, confetti slime:

Measure out a ½ cup of white glue.

Pour it into your mixing bowl. You might need a craft stick to move the glue along. DIY Slime

Add a ½ cup of warm tap water. Keep stirring until it is all incorporated. DIY Slime

Now is the time to add your confetti!

Using a ½ cup of warm tap water, mix in ½ teaspoon of contact lens solution. The solution will be cloudy. Small particles at the bottom are okay.

Slowly add the solution to the glue/water in the mixing bowl. At this point, it’s all about the stirring. Keep the slime moving until it forms a clump. Then begin to mix with your hands. DIY Slime

For the red slime:

If you are lucky enough to find red glitter glue, follow the steps exactly like above. The only difference with clear glue (and this red is considered clear glue) is that you add ¼ teaspoon of Borax to the warm water instead of a ½. DIY Slime

If you can’t find red glitter glue, add 3-4 drops red food coloring and glitter during step 4 from above.

For the blue slime:

Lastly, for the blue slime, use clear glue and blue food coloring for Step 4(unless you can find blue glue). Honestly, the kids delight to watch the food coloring incorporate, so it is a fun step! DIY Slime

Great results! Now it’s time to play!

Happy 4th of July!

Patria Lincoln | Posted on May 7, 2018

DIY Mother's Day Gifts!

Mother’s Day is May 13^th, so you still have plenty of time to create a handmade gift that shows the mother in your life just how much you and your family love her! The DIY art projects below are sure to make meaningful memories that Mom will truly cherish – and they’re fun! So, gather your little ones and get ready to create some truly adorable keepsakes!

Lots of Love Sun Catcher

Mom will go to pieces when she sees this sweet gift!

Materials:

Sheets or squares of colorful tissue paper

Coordinating-colored construction pape

rContact paper

Craft scissors

Hole punch

Ribbon

Cut a heart-shaped frame out of construction paper. Write your kids’ names and the year along the edge and include a Mother’s Day message, if you like.

Unroll your contact paper until you have a sheet twice the size of your heart frame and peel away the backing.

Place the heart frame at the top of the sticky side of the contact paper.

If your child is old enough to use safety scissors, have them cut the tissue paper into small squares. Younger children can tear the tissue into small pieces (and develop fine motor skills at the same time!). Let your kids place the tissue pieces wherever they like, within the heart shape.

Fold the bottom half of the contact paper over the heart, bringing the bottom edge up to the top edge. Press and smooth the contact paper flat and cut it away, about ¼ inch away from the outer edge of the heart frame.

Punch a hole in the top of the frame, string with a ribbon bow, and hang in a window as a sweet Mother’s Day surprise.

Fun with Fingerprints Heart Frame

Leave a permanent print on Mom’s heart with this sweet fingerprint photo frame!

Materials:

Raw wood frame

White, pink, and purple paint

Paintbrush

Permanent marker or Sharpie

Paint the front and sides of your frame white and allow to dry completely.

Pour the pink and purple paints onto a paper plate.

Show your child how to roll their pointer finger into the paint and press twice, overlapping, to form a heart shape on the frame. (You may have to help ????)

Continue until frame is full of heart-shaped fingerprints, leaving a space on the bottom edge for a message in marker, if you like.

Beautiful Palmprint Butterfly

Mom’s heart will soar when she sees this colorful art piece made from her little one’s palmprints!

Materials:

Large white construction paper

Colorful markers

Colorful paints

Plate

Aluminum foil

Paint brush

Use your markers to outline a long oval topped with a circle – these will be your butterfly’s body and head. Your child can color the head and body in with the markers and add antennae.

Cover a plate with aluminum foil and drop various colors of paint, filling the center of the foil-covered plate.

Press your child’s hand flat into the paint, making sure to cover the hand thoroughly. You should hear a squish as you press down. The lift your child’s hand straight out of the paint.

One at a time, press the palm, wrist-side to your butterfly’s body, down on the paper. Use your hand to press the fingers and palm down firmly, then help your child lift their hand straight up and off the paper. Have your child write their name and age and “Happy Mother’s Day” or other sweet message, if they’re able.

Happy Mother's Day!

Patria Lincoln | Posted on Apr 20, 2018

Celebrate Astronomy Day with Kids

Each year Astronomy Day is celebrated worldwide. The stars have fascinated humanity for literally centuries, and even to this day captures the imagination of kids of all ages. Celebrate this event with them this year and don't worry if you don't own any expensive telescopes. These DIY activities use real life discoveries to inspire your little astronomers!

Track the Phases of the Moon

Bone sticks from across Europe and Africa dating back as long ago as 35,000 BCE that tracked the moon’s phases. Use a simple number line with your kids to track the phases of the moon over the course of a month, from full moon and back again. Do it for several months and see what patterns they begin to observe.

Depict a Celestial Phenomenon

A celestial phenomenon is a astrological event that involves one or more objects. The earliest example depicted was discovered in Germany in 1999. The Nebra Sky Disc dates back to 2000 BC and it depicted a star cluster, phases of the moon and the rising sun.

Use a black paper plate, or even just black paper, and encourage your children to depict their own star formations. If they can’t stay up to observe them at night, project some indoors with this Shining Stars Projector.

Astronomy to Keep Time

The Chinese astronomers kept detailed observations beginning about 600 BC, for the primary purpose of timekeeping. Their records allowed them to predict eclipses, and include the first record of events such as supernovas and comets.

On the other side of the world, the Mayans developed their own astronomical tables for predicting the phases of the moon, eclipses, and the appearance of the other planets. They used these and the cycles of the Sun, the Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and constellations to establish the Mayan calendar.

All of the above astronomy was without a telescope, and you can still observe these astronomical events with your kids today. Check out this astronomy calendar and pick a full moon, eclipse, planetary event, or meteor shower to observe as a family.

Try this simple astronomy experiment to help kids as young as preschoolers understand what makes night.

Just because ancient astronomers did all of this without a telescope doesn't mean your little ones have to! All of the above activities can be done with the naked eye but if you feel like shooting for the stars check out Learning Resources Big View Telescope. How will you celebrate Astronomy Day?