While looking for some sort of sensory project kids would enjoy, we remembered how to make flubber, that smooth, elastic blob similar to Play-Doh as seen in the Disney classic, The Absent-Minded Professor. You don’t need a laboratory to make this squishy stuff but we do have a few tips you’ll want to keep in mind. To get the right consistency, use exact measurements when adding Borax to warm water. Borax can cause eye irritation and definitely shouldn’t be ingested so keep your radar on and supervise young children.

If you decide to add food coloring, use gloves for easy cleanup—otherwise, mixing bowls won’t be the only thing you’ll be scrubbing! You’ll probably want to enlist the kids’ help after the coloring’s been added.

Our recipe makes a huge batch that’s great for an afternoon play day. Stretch it, cut it, bounce it or see what innovative ways flubber can be used. If it should make its way into carpet, hair or even the family pet, use vinegar for an easy cleanup.

Crafts that stimulate children’s senses are not just for fun—they’re really important for their cognitive development. Leading them down that road of discovery encourages eye-hand coordination, group cooperation, problem solving and creativity. They might as well have fun while learning!

Homemade flubber
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups warm water
  • 16 oz (2 cups) white or clear glue
  • food coloring
  • glitter (if using clear glue)
  • 1⅓ cups warm water
  • 1 tsp 20 Mule Team Borax
Instructions
  1. Mix and combine 1½ cups water and glue in a large bowl. Add food coloring and glitter (only use glitter if using clear glue or you won’t see it). If you add food coloring, use rubber gloves so you don’t stain your hands.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine 1⅓ cups warm water and Borax, mixing until the Borax is completely dissolved. It’s important to be careful with the Borax—it contains chemicals so you’ll want to handle this part of it instead of involving the kiddos.
  3. Add the Borax mixture to the glue mixture, mix it with your hands then get your kids in on it! They’ll love to squish it between their fingers!
  4. Continue kneading the flubber with your hands until pliable and water is absorbed.
  5. This flubber recipe makes a big batch, so there is plenty for several kids to enjoy!
Notes
Experiment with clear, white or glitter glue to see which effect you like best.