Slime is one of those wonderful toys we ALL loved when we were younger. You know the stuff: the thick, stretchy slime that came in those little plastic barrels. You can stretch it, throw it at your friends, stick it to walls and surfaces, and smack your brothers with it (some of us figured this particular use out early on).
You can find slime at pretty much any toy shop or novelty store, and it can provide you (or, you know, your KIDS) hours of fun.
But why buy when you can just make your own? You'll find that making your own homemade slime is surprisingly easy. It requires a few basic ingredients, and there are a wonderfully broad variety of slime recipes you can try. Stay tuned, we even show you how to make slim without glue!
If you're wondering, "How do you make homemade slime?" or "What do you need to make slime?", you've come to the right place! We've collected literally EVERY slime-making recipe we could find into one place.
Want to know how to make slime without glue or borax? We've got a recipe for that. Asking yourself, "How do you make fluffy slime?" We've got that, too!
Read on to find out all the best slime-making recipes and learn how to make slime in the comfort of your own home…
Before You Start, A Few Safety Tips
Slime is made using potent chemicals that can cause harm if ingested or if they come in contact with your eyes or mouth. ALWAYS be careful, and consider using gloves, safety goggles, and a face mask when mixing slime. Treat it like any other potentially hazardous chemistry experiment!
Never let your child make slime on their own. Let the adults do the hard work of actually mixing the slime—the kids can enjoy playing with it afterward.
Always wash your hands thoroughly before making slime, and wipe down your counter, table, or surface. Be aware that the chemicals in some of the slime recipes may be potent enough to damage varnish, lacquer, or paint, so be wary of letting them come in contact with wooden surfaces. When finished making the slime, make sure to wash your hands and wipe the surfaces thoroughly to eliminate any trace residue.
When making slime, DO NOT mix recipes. Follow the recipes listed below, and ONLY mix the ingredients as directed.
Now that you've read these safety tips, you're ready to begin making your own slime!
HOW TO MAKE SLIME WITHOUT BORAX
We included 8 slime recipes without borax. So you have lots of options with some pretty neat slime recipes that contain no borax whatsoever!
HOW TO MAKE SLIME WITHOUT GLUE
We included two slime recipes that do not require glue. So if you want to skip the glue scroll down and pick your favorite recipe and enjoy making slime without glue!
1. Simple Slime
This slime is made with borax, Elmer's Glue (the stuff you get for school), and water. It's the most basic form of slime, and it's fully transparent.
Texture: The texture is like the slime you'd buy in a supermarket, though a bit more liquid. Play with it, stretch it, or throw it around—this slime can handle it!
For this recipe, you will need:
- 1 teaspoon of Borax powder
- ½ cup of Elmer's Glue
- 2 cups of water
To prepare the slime:
Step 1: In one small bowl, dissolve the Borax powder with one cup of water. Keep the water at room temperature, and stir gently for about 1 minute to help the Borax dissolve. Don't worry if there are still grains in the bottom of the bowl—they'll dissolve on their own.
Step 2: In another bowl, pour the Elmer's glue into ½ cup of water. Mix well until the glue and water have been properly combined.
Step 3: Pour the water and glue mixture into the bowl with the Borax mixture. Use your hands (wearing latex gloves, of course) or a wooden spoon to mix the two liquids together.
Step 4: As you mix, the slime will form strings or clumps. Continue to knead the slime together for a few more minutes. There will be borax mixture in the bottom of the bowl, but the glue/water mixture will thicken.
Step 5: Transfer the thickened slime to a dry bowl, and let it sit to "rise" (like dough). It should form within 5 minutes. Cover in plastic and store when not in use.
See, quick, easy, and beautifully simple!
2. Colored Slime
This is the same recipe as the one above, with one new addition: food coloring! Food coloring allows you to add colors, and you can have fun experimenting with the various mixtures of red, blue, yellow, and green until you get the colors you want.
Texture: The addition of food coloring won't affect the texture of this Borax-based slime, and it will still be a fun, malleable toy.
For this recipe, you will need:
- 1 teaspoon of Borax powder
- ½ cup of Elmer's Glue
- 2 cups of water
To prepare the slime:
Step 1: In one small bowl, dissolve the Borax powder with one cup of water. Keep the water at room temperature, and stir gently for about 1 minute to help the Borax dissolve. Don't worry if there are still grains in the bottom of the bowl—they'll dissolve on their own.
Step 2: In another bowl, pour the Elmer's glue into ½ cup of water. Mix well until the glue and water have been properly combined. Add a few drops of food coloring to get the desired color.
Step 3: Pour the water and glue mixture into the bowl with the Borax mixture. Use your hands (wearing latex gloves, of course) or a wooden spoon to mix the two liquids together.
Step 4: As you mix, the slime will form strings or clumps. Continue to knead the slime together for a few more minutes. There will be borax mixture in the bottom of the bowl, but the glue/water mixture will thicken.
Step 5: Transfer the thickened slime to a dry bowl, and let it sit to "rise" (like dough). It should form within 5 minutes. Cover in plastic and store when not in use.
Now you have simple slime in the color of your choice!
3. Rainbow Slime
Instead of doing ONE color of slime, why not use all the colors of the rainbow to make one big multi-colored batch of slime?
Texture: Prepare for colorful slime that slips and slides around in your hands!
For this recipe, you will need:
- 7 teaspoons of Borax powder
- 3 ½ cups of Elmer's Glue
- 14 cups of water
- Food coloring
To prepare the slime:
Step 1: In one small bowl, dissolve the 1 teaspoon of Borax powder with one cup of water. Keep the water at room temperature, and stir gently for about 1 minute to help the Borax dissolve. Don't worry if there are still grains in the bottom of the bowl—they'll dissolve on their own.
Step 2: In another bowl, pour ½ cup of Elmer's glue into ½ cup of water. Mix well until the glue and water have been properly combined. Add a few drops of red food coloring.
Step 3: Pour the water and glue mixture into the bowl with the Borax mixture. Use your hands (wearing latex gloves, of course) or a wooden spoon to mix the two liquids together.
Step 4: As you mix, the slime will form strings or clumps. Continue to knead the slime together for a few more minutes. There will be borax mixture in the bottom of the bowl, but the glue/water mixture will thicken.
Step 5: Transfer the thickened slime to a dry bowl, and let it sit to "rise" (like dough). It should form within 5 minutes. Cover in plastic and store when not in use.
Step 6: Repeat Step 1 and 2, adding yellow and red food coloring to make orange slime. Continue with Steps 3-5.
Step 7: Repeat Step 6 for yellow slime, green slime, blue slime, purple slime, and indigo slime.
Step 8: Once you have slime in 7 different colors, stretch them out and lay them side by side on a countertop. Let the slime meld into each other to produce one massive slime the colors of the rainbow!
4. Liquid Starch Slime (slime without borax)
What do you when you don't have Borax? You use Liquid Starch instead!
Texture: The texture is a bit thicker than the Borax-based slime, but it will still be fully malleable and as slimy as ever.
For this recipe, you will need:
- ½ cup of Liquid Starch
- ½ cup of Elmer's Glue
- 2 cups of water
To prepare the slime:
Step 1: In one small bowl, pour the Elmer's glue into ½ cup of water. Mix well until the glue and water have been properly combined. Add a few drops of food coloring or sparkling glitter to get the desired color.
Step 2: Pour the liquid starch into the mixture. Stir with a spoon—the mixture will thicken quickly and form into slime.
Step 3: Use your hands (wearing latex gloves, of course) instead of the wooden spoon to mix the two liquids together.
Step 4: Transfer the thickened slime to a dry bowl, and let it sit to "rise" (like dough). It should form within 30 minutes and become a smooth slime. Cover in plastic and store when not in use.
A great alternative if you don't have Borax and want something a bit less heavy on the chemicals!
5. Fluffy Slime
Fluffy slime is a strangely fascinating substance, one that is lighter and airier than your regular slime. It's also one of the cheaper types of slime to make.
Texture: The use of shaving cream will almost make it feel "crunchier" than your typical slime, meaning a lot more fun for you to knead and stretch.
For this recipe, you will need:
- Elmer's Glue
- Foaming Shaving Cream
- Baking Soda
- Saline solution (for your eyes)
- Optional: food coloring
To prepare the slime:
Step 1: Spray the foaming shaving cream into a bowl. Us 3-4 cups of shaving cream per batch of fluffy slime.
Step 2: Add food coloring or glitter if you want colorful fluffy slime!
Step 3: Add ½ cup of Elmer's glue into the bowl and combine thoroughly with the shaving cream.
Step 4: Add in ½ teaspoon of baking soda and mix well.
Step 5: Pour 1 tablespoon of saline solution into the bowl, and use a wooden spoon to start whipping it until it hardens.
Step 6: You'll feel the mixture hardening as the saline is mixed in. You can begin to use your hands to knead the slime until it reaches the right consistency.
This slime will never be as smooth as the Borax-based slime, but it's light, airy, and a whole lot of fun!
6. No-Chemical Slime (slime without borax)
If you don't want to use Borax or Liquid Starch, you can try this recipe to make a no-chemical slime. The three ingredients are simple, gentle on your skin, and safe for small children!
Texture: This will end up more liquid than the Borax-based slime, so it will be easier for small children to knead and play with.
For this recipe, you will need:
- Elmer's Glue
- Baking Soda
- Eye drops (generic brand is just fine!)
- Optional: food coloring
To prepare the slime:
Step 1: Measure ½ cup of Elmer's glue into a container. Add food coloring until you get the desired color.
Step 2: Add ¾ teaspoons of baking soda into the colored glue. Stir well to combine.
Step 3: Add 10 eye drops into the glue and baking soda mixture. Mix until the consistency begins to change. Add 10 more drops and mix. Continue adding and mixing until you have added 40 drops of the saline solution into the glue.
Step 4: Add a few eye drops to your fingers, then get your hands into the slime mixture and start kneading. Add another 5 drops of the saline solution as you knead. Keep pulling, folding, and kneading for 5 minutes, or until you reach the desired consistency and texture.
Step 5: Store in a plastic container, covered loosely.
This stuff is SUPER stretchy, and much easier on your skin than the Borax-based slime.
7. Thinking Putty
Unlike slime, this stuff is much drier due to the low water content. It's made with the same basic ingredients, but it's much less messy and easier to store for longer.
Texture: It's the "stress ball" of slime, with a stiffer texture that makes for good squeezing and kneading.
For this recipe, you will need:
- ¼ teaspoon of Borax powder
- ¼ cup of Elmer's Glue
- ¼ cup of warm water
To prepare the slime:
Step 1: Measure the glue into a clean mixing bowl. Add a few drops of food coloring to get the color of your choice.
Step 2: In another bowl, mix ¼ teaspoon of Borax powder with ¼ cup of warm water. Mix until the Borax is mostly dissolved.
Step 3: Pour the Borax mixture into the colored glue. This will activate the slime and cause it to harden.
Step 4: Stir with a spoon, then knead with your hands until it's fully smooth.
This putty will be much drier than your typical slime, so it's something you can take with you if you need something to fidget with.
8. Flubber Slime (slime without borax)
The movie Flubber (one of my favorites) introduced us to a bouncy, colorful little slime, and you can make your own (albeit less magical) type of Flubber using this recipe below.
Texture: The slime has a bit of bounce to it, but it will be loose and liquid as well. Great fun for slime wars!
For this recipe, you will need:
- 1 cup of Elmer's Glue
- ½ cup of Liquid Starch
- ½ cup of warm water
To prepare the slime:
Step 1: Measure the glue into a clean mixing bowl. Add a few drops of food coloring to get the color of your choice, then add the water and stir until combined.
Step 2: Add the liquid starch into the colored glue.
Step 3: Stir with a spoon, then knead with your hands until it's fully smooth.
Step 4: Set it aside to "rise" for about 15 minutes. Resting the slime will ensure that it is smooth and very stretchy.
The higher liquid content of this slime makes it a much more elastic form, one that's a whole lot of fun to play with!
9. Sparkling Slime
To really jazz up your slime, all you need is a little bit of food coloring and A LOT of sparkling glitter!
Texture: Expect the consistency of store-bought slime, but with a lot more dazzle to it.
For this recipe, you will need:
- 1 teaspoon of Borax powder
- ½ cup of Elmer's Glue
- 2 cups of water
- Food coloring
- Sparkling glitter
To prepare the slime:
Step 1: In one small bowl, dissolve the Borax powder with one cup of water. Keep the water at room temperature, and stir gently for about 1 minute to help the Borax dissolve. Don't worry if there are still grains in the bottom of the bowl—they'll dissolve on their own.
Step 2: In another bowl, pour the Elmer's glue into ½ cup of water. Mix well until the glue and water have been properly combined. Add a few drops of food coloring to get the desired color. Now add glitter—at least a tablespoon—into the glue mixture and stir well. Use multi-colored glitter or glitter of a single color as desired.
Step 3: Pour the water and glue mixture into the bowl with the Borax mixture. Use your hands (wearing latex gloves, of course) or a wooden spoon to mix the two liquids together.
Step 4: As you mix, the slime will form strings or clumps. Continue to knead the slime together for a few more minutes. There will be borax mixture in the bottom of the bowl, but the glue/water mixture will thicken.
Step 5: Transfer the thickened slime to a dry bowl, and let it sit to "rise" (like dough). It should form within 5 minutes. Cover in plastic and store when not in use.
When you play with the slime, you'll find it sparkles like a thousand stars at night!
10. Floam Slime (slime without borax)
Instead of buying your kids Floam at the store, you can make your own at home—much cheaper, and just as much fun.
Texture: This slime can be molded into shapes, and the polystyrene balls will hold their form better than your typical slime. Great for a Play-Dough alternative.
To prepare the slime:
- Elmer's Glue
- Liquid Starch
- Water
- Food coloring
- Polystyrene foam beads
To prepare the slime:
Step 1: In one small bowl, pour ½ cup of Elmer's glue into ½ cup of water. Mix well until the glue and water have been properly combined. Add a few drops of food coloring or sparkling glitter to get the desired color.
Step 2: Add in the polystyrene beads, and stir well to combine the beads with the glue and water mixture.
Step 3: Pour the liquid starch into the mixture. Stir with a spoon—the mixture will thicken quickly and form into slime.
Step 4: Use your hands (wearing latex gloves, of course) instead of the wooden spoon to mix the two liquids together.
Step 5: Transfer the thickened slime to a dry bowl, and let it sit to "rise" (like dough). It should form within 30 minutes and become a smooth slime. Cover in plastic and store when not in use.
When you play with the floam, the polystyrene beads will give you a better "structure" than you'd get with your typical types of foam.
11. Glowing Slime (slime without borax)
It's the perfect type of slime for Halloween, or when you want to make your house spooky at night!
Texture: This will be more liquid than your typical slime, thanks to the absence of Borax. It's not as good for molding, but a whole lot of fun for kneading and stretching.
For this recipe, you will need:
- ½ cup of Liquid Starch
- ½ cup of Elmer's Glue
- ½ cup of water
- Glow in the Dark Paint (from your craft store)
To prepare the slime:
Step 1: In one small bowl, pour the Elmer's glue into ½ cup of water. Mix well until the glue and water have been properly combined. Add a few drops of the glow in the dark paint to the mixture.
Step 2: Pour the liquid starch into the mixture. Stir with a spoon—the mixture will thicken quickly and form into slime.
Step 3: Use your hands (wearing latex gloves, of course) instead of the wooden spoon to mix the two liquids together.
Step 4: Transfer the thickened slime to a dry bowl, and let it sit to "rise" (like dough). It should form within 30 minutes and become a smooth slime. Cover in plastic and store when not in use.
Let it sit in indirect sunlight for a few hours. When you play with it in a dark room, it will glow eerily bright!
12. Cornstarch Slime (slime without borax)
If you want a simple, inexpensive recipe that doesn't require Liquid Cornstarch or Borax, this recipe uses regular powdered cornstarch, something every home has.
Texture: This will be thicker than your typical slime, but with an odd malleability only possible through the magic of cornstarch. (If you've ever mixed cornstarch and water, you know what we're talking about!)
For this recipe, you will need:
- ¼ cup of Elmer's Glue
- Cornstarch
To prepare the slime:
Step 1: Measure ½ cup of Elmer's glue into a container. Add food coloring until you get the desired color.
Step 2: Add cornstarch (roughly 3 parts of cornstarch to 1 part of glue) into the colored glue. Stir well to combine as you slowly mix in the cornstarch.
Step 3: Use your hands (wearing latex gloves, of course) to test the slime. It shouldn't be wet, gooey, or sticky, but should be easy to pick up and play with.
Step 4: Sprinkle cornstarch on your fingers and pick up the slime. Knead it for a few minutes. If it's too wet, add more cornstarch. If it's too dry, add more glue.
Quick, easy, and requires very few ingredients!
13. Taste-Safe Slime (slime without glue or borax)
Got little kids who are likely to put everything into their mouths? This slime recipe is 100% safe to taste!
Texture: It's not as thick as your regular slime—a bit more like cornstarch mixed with water—but it has enough stiffness to knead and mould.
For this recipe, you will need:
- Water
- Fiber Powder
To prepare the slime:
Step 1: Heat 2 cups of water until slightly hot.
Step 2: Scoop three heaping scoops of fiber powder into the water and stir well. Add up to 6 scoops of powder according to your desired thickness.
Step 3: Put the mixture in the microwave for 60 seconds. Once done, remove it and keep mixing. The slime should form quickly.
Step 4: Let the slime cool before playing with it.
It's fun, it's safe, and your kids can taste it—even though it's pretty awful to nosh on.
14. Edible Slime (slime without glue or borax)
What about delivering a slime that's fully edible? Give this one a try!
Texture: The slime will be like a fairly liquid form of Jell-O—think of Jell-O a few minutes before it's fully set.
For this recipe, you will need:
- 3 packs of unflavored gelatin powder (though you may want to have fun with flavored gelatin as well!)
- Corn Syrup
- Water
To prepare the slime:
Step 1: Bring the water (the amount recommended on the packets of gelatin) to a boil, then add in the gelatin packets. Stir well until the gelatin begins to form lumps.
Step 2: Mix in ¼ cup of corn syrup and continue stirring.
Step 3: Stir until the gelatin thickens more, then set it aside to cool before playing.
If you play with flavored Jell-O powder, your kids will be able to eat their slimy toy!