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Materials
You need 1 tbsp. of white glue to begin this science project. Other ingredients are 1/2 teaspoon of Borax, which is sodium borate. It is found in the laundry section and it is used to naturally bleach clothing. Food coloring adds color to the slime balls, so use 1 tbsp. of cornstarch and 4 tbsp. of warm water. Use two paper cups and a plastic spoon for the activity.
Procedure
Add the glue and a few drops of the food coloring into your paper cup. Mix it together well with the plastic spoon. Add more color if necessary. Place the Borax, cornstarch and warm water into another paper cup and mix it well. Combine the two mixtures and stir to incorporate. It should turn into a slimy mixture, or wet play dough, at this point. Keep stirring the slime.
Play Dough
Once the slime turns into a play dough, throw out the extra liquid from your cup. Start rolling the ball with your hands. It is normal for the ball to feel slimy and mushy but continue rolling it. If it is too wet, dry it with a paper towel. Then, keep pressing and rolling the ball. After a few minutes, the bouncing ball should harden and set into shape. Store it in a plastic Easter egg or other round container to help it keep its shape for the first 24 hours.
Notes
Borax is a natural bleaching agent that is safe on your skin for a short period of time. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after you finish forming the bouncing slime balls. The balls work because mixing Borax and glue together create a chemical reaction. It becomes a polymer, which are long strands of molecules that act rubbery, according to Steve Spangler Science. Also called an elastomer, the reaction forms a slime at first and then it is rolled into a bouncing ball.