Everything you need to know about making slime games: Why is it popular? How is it made? Is it safe?

Since grandmothers folded homemade paper dolls, arts and crafts have been a part of children’s home activities. In recent years, arts and crafts have also become the new games. The newest wave of this sensory entertainment is the making of play slime, a sticky, colorless substance that kids can make at home or buy from stores. Slime has been a popular science project for many years because it helps children learn about viscosity (the thickness or resistance of a liquid), polymers (long chains of molecules), and chemical reactions. While many welcomed this fun game, some were concerned about how much slime is harmful to health. Is this hobby worth the risk? How is it possible to make slime gel safely and without allergies? In this article, you will learn everything about the coolest and most stylish handheld game in the world.

What is slime?

Slime is one of the creative and popular games for children and teenagers. Slime and glaze materials are used in making the slime game and it is shaped manually by using different types of materials, colors, and decorations. This game can be useful as a creative and educational activity for children and encourage them towards new experiences and creativity.

Gel slime is a unique tactile play material composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a white glue-like solution, and borate ions, commonly found in borax. When the glue reacts with the borate ions, a thick, viscous “non-Newtonian fluid” is formed, meaning it is neither a liquid nor a solid. The gel slime comes in a solid form by hand, but it flows like a liquid and is fun for any child.

Why do people like slime?

Aside from the sheer joy of learning science, people love slime for a few different reasons. Some enjoy watching soft matter transform from solid to liquid and back again. Squeezing it between your fingers is also a great way to relieve stress. Some people just like it for drawing and fun. Playing with slime and touching it creates a sense of pleasure and relaxation for people.

The feeling of softness and glaze of slime conveys the feeling of peace and satisfaction to the person. Some people find it interesting and captivating to observe how ingredients change and become something entirely new in just a short amount of time through the process of stirring.

Gel slime allows children and teenagers to create different shapes and designs and encourages them to be creative and free in choosing colors, materials, and decorations. Playing with slime can help develop children’s mobility experience. The flexibility and manual movements required to make and shape the slime will strengthen their motor skills.

In general, slime as a creative, educational, and relaxing activity has attracted the attention and interest of many people, especially children and teenagers.

Different types of slime

Making slime games is done in different ways. Here are some examples of the most popular.

Glitter Slime: It’s the same as the basic recipe for making slime, just mixed with glitter.

Cleaning slime: This type of slime is thicker. It works almost like a bristle brush to remove grime from your keyboard and other electronics.

Fluffy Slime: When you squish this slime, it becomes soft like a marshmallow.

Slime Pops: Styrofoam balls or other beads mixed with regular slime. Touching this one gives more pleasure.

Slime without Borax: Some people are concerned about their skin health. Because borax (cleansing agent) may be dry and harsh on the skin of the hand. Therefore, they choose slime without borax.

Glow in the Dark Slime: Yes, this gel slime really does glow in the dark and can even be made at home with non-toxic materials.

Making slime game

A wide range of items and raw materials can be used to make slime games. In the recipe for making slime, the following materials are usually used:

Borax, laundry liquid, white glue, corn starch, hair removal cream, glitter, shampoo, and food coloring.

For example, to make cleaning slime gel, borax, laundry booster, hot water, and white glue are used. According to the opinion of the American Chemical Society, the instructions for making elastic game slime are as follows:

A good basic borax-free slime recipe calls for 4 ounces (120 mL) of white school glue, 1/2 tablespoon baking soda, and 1/4 tablespoon contact solution. Put the ingredients in a container in the order listed, then mix for a few minutes until it turns into slime. This should be slightly wet and able to stretch easily, but it should not stick to your hands or surfaces.

Fluffy slime usually takes more ingredients because it has a different texture. It is also borax-free.

How long does slime last?

After making the slime gel, keep the slime in a sealed container for better storage. This prevents it from drying out and lasts for several days. If you store the container in the refrigerator, the slime will stay fresh for about a month without drying out.

Is slime dangerous for health?

Some people have allergies or skin sensitivity to different substances. For example, your skin may become irritated when exposed to certain detergents. So, it is better to use gloves to maintain skin health.

Borax (and other boron derivatives such as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate) is used to cross-link with the adhesive to create the rubber material. Excessive exposure to boron irritates the human skin, causes breathing problems, and causes bleeding in the digestive tract if swallowed. Most importantly, do not eat the slime or give it to a child as they may put it in their mouth. Substances such as salt solution and borax make people sick.

The slime game is not dangerous for health, but most of the dangerous cases related to the slime game are related to the special conditions and materials used in the preparation and making of the slime. Several things to consider include:

1. Allergy to ingredients: Some people may have allergies or sensitivities to some of the ingredients used in making slime. Therefore, healthy, safe, and suitable materials should be used for slime.

2. Risk of Ingestion: Slime may be accidentally or unintentionally ingested. So, if your child is playing with it, give him the necessary warnings before doing anything, and take care of him yourself.

3. Harmful chemicals: Some chemicals used to color or flavor the slime may be dangerous and harmful. Therefore, safe and non-toxic materials should be used to prepare and make slime game gel.

If safe and appropriate materials are used to prepare slime and this activity is done under proper supervision, slime is not a dangerous game for health and is a creative and fun activity useful for children and teenagers.

Government pressure on the ban of slime

As the popularity of slime grows day by day, governing bodies are setting regulations to ensure safety and health. According to a March 11, 2018 Jordan Times report, Jordan’s Ministry of Health has banned the “import, manufacture, possession or trade of slime” due to the presence of toxic chemicals and serious health risks for children.

Norway and the United Arab Emirates have also banned the sale of select brands of slime in their country, and Health Canada advises Canadians to avoid boric acid for arts and crafts projects, such as homemade slime or modeling clay.

5 reasons why kids should use slime

If you banned slime from your home due to health issues, you will reconsider after reading this episode. Cultivating your child’s thinking through slime can be a good solution. This popular toy is a chemistry project in itself and helps your children solve problems, and strengthen motor, tactile, and sensory skills for development. Although slime can be messy, it provides a great opportunity for kids to learn science and more. In the following, you will get to know 5 reasons why children should play with slime.

1. Slime is science!

Slime introduces children to the scientific concepts of polymers, fluids, etc. Slime is a chemistry experiment where two substances are mixed together, causing their molecular structure to change and form a new substance. This hands-on experience is a great way to help children understand scientific concepts.

2. Slime is a problem-solving exercise

When playing with slime, there are many variables, including how to mix it, the ratio of ingredients, outside temperature, and humidity. In Slime Obsidian, every batch we make needs to be set. We start with raw materials and then add more glue or whatever else is needed based on some of the factors explained above. Making slime games is a problem-solving exercise in itself, so kids will enjoy exploring different ways to create slime.

3. Slime shows math and ratios

The instructions for making play slime are based on the ratio of glue to the amount of activator. When making slime, ratios are useful because they help you determine the amount of ingredients. Understanding this is helpful when teaching kids about math formulas and ratios when playing with slime or making slime.

4. Slime is a sensory and tactile game

Typically, sensory play is associated with toddlers and children up to age 6, but there are many opportunities for sensory play that older children can benefit from as well. Sensory play is important for motor development, and since older kids are still developing these skills, they can benefit from this exercise! In addition to improving motor skills, slime helps children regulate their emotions. Playing with slime is a relaxing activity. Kids can spend hours kneading, stretching, and twisting their slime into different shapes and directions. So it would be beneficial if we give them their favorite sensory game.

5. Mastery creates confidence

Most parents try to instill self-confidence, perseverance, and courage in their children. What better way than an activity that they also enjoy? Kids love slime. Unlike video games, playing with slime is a hands-on creative activity, so playing with slime allows children to become slime masters and boost their confidence.

In short, playing with slime improves gross and fine motor skills. The touch of slime can be relaxing. It is an opportunity to learn science about concepts such as chemical reactions and will lead to enhanced creativity.

A final word about making a slime game

Games like making slime are useful activities. Because they strengthen exploration, discovery, and learning in people. In this article, the method of making slime game was investigated. From natural materials to chemical materials, each with its unique characteristics allows the creation of slime games. But the important thing is, that children’s safety should be the top priority. Therefore, it is recommended to use non-toxic and tested materials for making slime games. Finally, playing with gel slime is not only a fun game, but it can also be an opportunity for children to learn science.