Spider Slime Recipe for Kids

Slime. Fun for kids, but way too messy? Think again! Slime is an engaging sensory experience for kids that can be pretty mess free. Really. This spider slime recipe is full of fine motor practice and perfect for the keeping little hands busy in the weeks before Halloween…or any time you can find spider rings!

Slime is a play material that is squishy and fun and can be adapted in so many ways. It’s perfect for developing fine motor skills and makes a fantastic boredom buster on a rainy day. Or just to set out so you can make dinner!

If you’ve never made it before you may be surprised by the consistency. It moves and squishes, but can also be cut with scissors and poked with straws. In a sealed container it lasts for months which lets you make it once and use it over and over again.

Spider Slime Recipe for Halloween

• 1 cup liquid starch
• 2 bottles white school glue
• plastic spider rings (or other plastic toys)

Kids love to help make slime so if they are old enough (and won’t put the supplies in their mouth) invite them to assist you in making the slime. It’s super easy!

Begin by squeezing the glue into an old bowl or bucket. Then pour a cup of the liquid starch on top of it and start stirring. As you blend the glue and liquid starch together you can see it turn into strands of polymers right before your eyes. Keep stirring.

Once it is fairly mixed you can put it on a non-porous surface (we use our kitchen counter) and knead it with your hands. If it’s too sticky you can add more liquid starch, if it’s too stingy you can add more glue. There is really no wrong way to make slime.

Once the slime is ready it’s time to add the spiders! I found these colorful plastic spider rings in the dollar section at Target and put some of them in the slime and left some on the side for the kids to add however they liked.

Spider slime is an awesome fine motor activity for kids. Let them bury and find the spiders and get them out of the slime. The best part is the slime pulls right off the spiders so you can use them for other Halloween activities when you are done. See? Slime isn’t as messy as it sounds!

With that being said here are a few tips for staying as clean as possible when playing with slime:

• Don’t play with slime on rugs or other non-porous surfaces–it will stick to those!
• If your hands are covered in slime rub them together to get the slime into a ball.
• If the kids accidentally get slime stuck to their clothes I spray it with vinegar and it comes clean. I bet a stain remover would work too.
• Kids who are still putting stuff in their mouths may need to be closely supervised or wait until they are older to play.

So break out them slime! It’s a great learning and sensory activity for kids of all ages…especially when you need a break!

This super cute (if I do say so myself) Spider Busy Bag is another fun way to keep kids busy and developing their fine motor skills!