Whether you are new to slime making or a slime pro, you are sure to find some inspiration on this GIANT slime recipes list!
Around our school they call me the Slime Lady. Yup, and it’s a title I actually adore. We have done several slime events at our school where we made slime after slime (wait isn’t that a Cyndi Lauper song?) as well as numerous birthday parties and workshops so I’m used to kids looking at me funny and saying “Aren’t you the Slime Lady?”
Now having made so.much.slime. over the years has also allowed us to try dozens of recipes. I decided it was about time to gather a collection of the best slime recipes we have made as well as some new ones we plan to try!
This enormous slime recipes list is divided into the following 8 categories. Basic, Colorful, Artsy, Scientific, Edible, Scented, Themed, and Holiday. I also listed my top 5 favorite slimes and what ages they are best for. Lastly be sure to check out two resources at the end of our post How to Host an Epic Slime Birthday Party and how to make a seriously awesome DIY Slime Kit.
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Is Slime Safe to Play with?
Your biggest slime concern answered! Before we head to the recipes I wanted to answer the most common question I get asked about slime. Is it safe? The answer to this is yes for most people. If you have not seen the video below about borax and boric acid which is the activator in almost all slime recipes (excluding edible slimes) then please watch it now.
When is it not safe to play with slime? If you have a child with skin sensitivities please keep an eye out for any skin irritation after they have played with slime. Boric acid is used as soap and in saline solution used to clean contact lenses so it is typically safe use on your skin.
Issues with rashes and burns come up when there has been an excessive amount of skin exposure to borax. Many common household substances (salt and even water) can be harmful when used or consumed in excessive amounts, the same goes for borax. The amount of borax used in the classic gak slime recipe is minimal.
Please do use recipes as a guideline for how much activator you will need, and if you child’s skin is indeed sensitive, work with the edible slime recipes below.
Our Top 5 Favorite Slime Recipes
1. Softest Slime: Butter Slime
Even slime averse adults love this slime! The texture is so soft that you cannot resist playing with it! This is great for kids 5 and up.
2. Best Slime for Little Kids: Fluffy Slime
Shaving cream makes this slime much less sticky than all other slimes and is my go-to recipe when working with little ones. Best for kids ages 3+.
3. Best Party Slime: Chalkboard Slime
We have made this at several birthday parties/workshops and it’s always a hit! The black slime paired with colorful chalk markers always wows kids! Send kids home with a container of the slime and a chalk marker as party favors! Great for ages 5+.
4. Longest Lasting Slime: Avalanche Slime
Avalanche slime is two slimes combined: basic white glue slime with a layer of clear slime on top. Make a batch of each and then layer them in a container with the clear slime on the bottom. Add a couple drops of food coloring on top of the white slime, cover and let sit for several hours or overnight. As the white glue and food coloring drips through the clear slime it looks like a colorful oozy snowfall.
After about a week this slime goes through a brittle phase where it feels a bit hard and you may be tempted to toss it but wait! Let it sit another week or so and then it will soften up again. This is literally the only slime we’ve ever opened months after making and found to be just like the day it was made. Given the slime making expertise needed to make avalanche slime I recommend this for kids ages 9+.
5. Best Slime for Advanced Slime Makers: Ice Slime
Clear slime takes patience and will power to keep it from getting cloudy so I don’t recommend it for beginners or little ones but once your child has mastered slime making they have to make Ice Slime. It’s so pretty! Ages 7+
50 Of The Best Slime Recipes
Keep this list handy for the next time you want to try new slime: Pin it here!
Basic Slime Recipes
My go-to slime recipe uses liquid starch as the activator. If you don’t have liquid starch available where you live you can usually substitute laundry detergent. It will need to contain boric acid. Classic Gak is the slime recipe made with Borax that most of us know from science class as kids!
Basic Slime 4 ways
Classic Gak
Ice Slime
Floam (Slime + Foam)
Fluffy Slime
Starch Alternative Slime for UK & Canada
Colorful Slime Recipes
It’s always fun to swirl different colors of slime together and watch the effects! If your child loves color try some of the slime recipes below! Please note that when you mix colored slimes they do end up getting muddy. If you want to have colorful slime AFTER kids play with it, I suggest mixing no more than two primary colored slimes together. You’ll of course end up with a secondary color!
Neon Slime
Rainbow Slime
Gold Slime
Magic Mermaid Slime
Color Changing Slime
Glow in the Dark Slime
Polka Dot Slime
Model Magic Slime
Artsy Slime Recipes
Yes slime can be used in art! My camp co-creator is an art teacher and we have chatted at length about how to incorporate slime into an art project. Here are a few ideas you can try to bring an artful angle to slime.
Chalkboard Slime
Slime Drawings
Slime Suncatchers
Slime Art
Slime Ribbons
Scientific Slime Recipes
Beyond slime itself being an amazing chemistry experiment, you can use it to introduce other scientific concepts. I am a HUGE fan of the cell slime below.
Magnetic Slime
Geology Crystal Slime
Volcano Slime
Cell Slime
Magnetic Slime (Troll Bogeys)
Scented Slime Recipes
Just like playdough, you can add scents to slime! Scents are wonderful idea if you are using slime as calm down activity especially scents like lavender which have a relaxing effect. And if you are an expert slime maker, scents are away to change things up a little!
Pineapple Slime
Lavender Slime
Peppermint Slime
Ice Cream Sundae Fluffy Slime
Lemonade Slime
Strawberry Lemonade Slime
Cinnamon Slime
Edible Slime Recipes
While I never recommended making slime for consumption, all of these recipes are taste safe! They use edible ingredients and are great to use with kids who may have skin sensitivities or are prone to putting things in their mouth.
Chia Seed Slime
Starburst Slime
Marshmallow Slime
Gummy Bear Slime
Chocolate Slime
Sour Patch Slime
Themed Slime Recipes
Get even more play time out of slime by combining it with some of your child’s favorite interests! Kids love themed activities so this is a way to tie slime into a themed birthday party, school topic, or childhood interest.
Rock Slime
Construction Site Slime
Butterbeer Slime
Ocean Slime
Unicorn Floam
Unicorn Snot Slime
Jungle Slime
Holiday Slime Recipes
Another fun way to incorporate kids’ love of slime is to tie it into the seasons and holidays! The Halloween themed ones are brilliant since obey gooey slime goes great with the whole “ick factor” of Halloween.
Confetti Slime
Fluffy Valentines Slime
Easter Slime
Witches Brew Slime
Jack-o-lantern Slime
Spider-Web Slime
Hot Cocoa Slime
Snow Slime
Christmas Tree Slime
Santa Slime
More Slime Fun
Are there enough slime recipes here to keep you busy? In fact this is really a years worth of slime if your child makes one slime a week off this list…just sayin’…you got it planned! And if you really want to keep going here are two more ideas for you”
Host an Epic Slime Party
My daughter asked for a slime birthday party several years ago and here’s how we did it! Other slimes that are great for parties or events are Butter Slime, Fluffy Slime (pretty foolproof) and Chalkboard Slime.
DIY Slime Kit
Most slime kits have enough supplies for a few batches at most. This DIY kit has enough for 64 matches…yes 64 batches of slime… See what we included here.
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