bubbles

3 c water
2 c Joy liquid detergent
1/2 c Karo syrup

Combine and allow solution to sit in open container for at least a day. The longer the solution sits the better the bubbles.

colored sand

Pour 1/4 c salt into a baggie. Add 5 drops (more or less depending on shade you want) of food coloring to the salt. Seal baggie and gently shake until food coloring is evenly distributed throughout the salt.

Tip: if you are using it for sand art crafts snip a very small hole in one of the corners of the baggie and slowly let salt out on the project.

Thanks for these, I've never seen the colored sand one? Is it wet? Does it stain their hands or clothes?

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I've never seen the sand one either. My preschooler LOVES the sandbox! I will have to remember this one for winter play!

My kids favorite craft recipe (other than edible playdough...which I can't see how they can eat after modeling it with grubby hands for 20 minutes) is cornstarch and water. Mix it until it forms an odd mixture of almost solid, almost liquid. I grab a box or two of corn starch, and put it into a huge shallow rubbermaid tub and throw it on the kitchen floor on a vinyl tablecloth and they will play in it for hours with kitchen utensils. Plus, it is a snap to clean up. Once it starts to dry out, it turns back into a find powder and a sponge cleans it right up!

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Sarah

Awesome ideas! Thanks!!

My kids call this oobleck and made it in school. It's 1.5 cups of corn starch to 1 cup water. You can use food coloring to change the color too.

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FLUBBER-got this off family fun website. Havent made it yet, a little worried about using Borax.

Quart of water
Borax
Food coloring
White glue
Large jar


1. Combine a quart of water and 1 tablespoon of borax in a large jar. Stir well and let the mix stand for a few minutes.

2. Fill a disposable cup three quarters of the way with the borax solution. Stir in a few drops of food coloring. Add white glue (in a thin steady stream), stirring continuously. Don't stop adding glue until a large stringy mass wraps around the spoon.

3. Pull the mass off the spoon and drop it into a container of cold water.

4. Remove the Rubber Blubber and, with dry hands, squeeze it for a minute or so to get rid of air bubbles. Now roll it into a ball and see how high it will bounce. Store the Blubber in a plastic bag.

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I believe borax is the ingredient in making floam too. I did it a long time ago. I'm interested in the flubber my kids like all kids of different things.

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Anyone have a tried and true recipe for homemade play doh?? i am looking to see all the kinds of craft things I can make for the kids for Christmas.
Also, anyone every use Borax?? Little concerened about it. Is it just a detergent?? Is it ok to touch-see above recipe for flubber. I am guessing it is ok for kids as long as they dont eat it or touch their eyes or mouths after they have played with the flubber.

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Floam-Got it off of Moms Club website. I have not made this.

2 teaspoons borax (available in the laundry aisle)
½ cup water
¼ cup Elmer's glue
¼ cup water (yes, you need it twice)
quart-sized zip bag
food coloring (I let the kids do this part)
6 ounces of Styrofoam beads (you can find these at -=MilkBottleFill.com=- Buy milk bottle fill online, styrofoam microbeads make you milk bottles look full of milk! Great for Pillow filler and Soft toys or Bean Bag Beads - Filler for Bean Bag Chairs - Form Beads)

Mix the borax with ½ cup water. Separately mix the glue, the rest of the water, and the food coloring.
Put both mixtures in the bag. (It will look awful at this point, but don't worry.)
Add the Styrofoam beads, seal the bag, and knead until everything is throughly mixed.
Let stand for 15 minutes, then knead again. When the mixture separates easily from the side of the bag it is done.
It's more doughy than the real Floam, but the kids will love it, and it's a lot cheaper!

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