Making Slime Improves Child Development – Easy DIY Recipe & Benefits

Making slime with your child is a fun activity targeting fine motor skills, direction following, sequencing, tactile processing, and emotional regulation. Slime offers a sensory experience while also working on various skill areas that are important for your child’s overall development.

Why Slime Supports Key Developmental Skills

Fine Motor Skills

Children can squish and mold slime to work on hand strength and endurance as well as bilateral coordination. Hide small treasures (such as beads, buttons, sequins, etc.) into the slime and have children search for them and pick them out. Slime can also be used to work on scissor skills by rolling it out and cutting it into pieces.

Direction Following & Sequencing

Making slime requires a few ingredients and following multiple directions. The directions must be followed in the correct order for the slime to come together. Involve children in the process of making the slime, allowing them to participate in each step to work on direction-following skills.

Tactile Processing

The texture of slime allows children to explore different textures and tolerate messy play. Exploring and using the senses during play engages many skill areas.

Emotional Regulation

Slime can be a great option for children to take a sensory break.

What You Will Need to Make Slime

8-ounce bottle Elmer’s white school glue
1½ – 2 tablespoons contact saline solution (add more as needed)
1 tablespoon baking soda
Food coloring (optional)
A bowl and spoon for mixing

Instructions to Make Slime

Add bottle of glue and food coloring (if desired) to a bowl. Stir until combined. Mix in baking soda.
Mix in saline solution. Start with 1½ tablespoons and stir. If the slime is too sticky, add ½ tablespoon more at a time until desired consistency.
Knead the slime. Use your hands to knead until it holds together. The slime will be gooey at first—keep kneading until it comes together.
Store the slime. Keep slime in a container with a lid or a Ziploc bag.

What Are the Benefits of Messy Play?

Messy play is hands-on activities that stimulate all senses and encourage children to explore different consistencies, textures, and temperatures. Messy play can also help children with sensory sensitivities get used to different textures. It can be anything from finger paint or slime to squishing Play-Doh or making sandcastles with kinetic sand. Children can explore their creativity while engaging in messy play. This type of play offers a range of benefits including sensory integration, fine motor skills development, gross motor skills, cognitive development, language development, creative expression, social skills, and emotional regulation.

There are some important considerations when setting up messy play for a child. If the child has sensory sensitivities, keep these in mind to avoid overstimulation. This might look like beginning with less-messy tasks such as a rice bin or kinetic sand, and gradually introducing other messy play such as slime or shaving cream. Depending on the age of the child, ensure safety of the materials. Children that tend to put items in their mouth can be offered messy play in pudding or other edible options that won’t cause harm if eaten. Small items in the messy play should also be avoided for these children. Another important step in messy play is the clean-up. As an adult or parent, the clean-up might feel like the most stressful part of engaging the child in this type of play. Encourage the child to be involved in clean-up of the activity to encourage responsibility. It can also be helpful to set clear expectations about clean-up of the activity.

If you’re concerned about your child’s development, Kids Place Pediatric Therapy in Arizona is here to help.