DIY Guide on Creating Silly Putty at Home
Every Thursday this summer, Erica from What Do We Do All Day? is hosting a free Summer Science Camp, and this week, the kids were busy making Balloon Rockets and attempting to create their own homemade silly putty.
The recipe for this DIY project is simple: 2 parts Elmer's Glue All and 1 part Sta-Flo Liquid Starch, along with some food coloring for a fun twist. However, the first attempt did not yield the desired consistency, as the homemade putty did not make prints like store-bought silly putty.
Store-bought silly putty is formulated with specific polymers such as silicone-based compounds, giving it unique viscoelastic and adhesive properties that allow it to pick up prints of ink on paper effectively. On the other hand, homemade versions using Elmer’s Glue All (a polyvinyl acetate-based adhesive) and liquid starch (a cross-linking agent) produce a type of polymer gel generally called "slime," which has different elasticity and surface characteristics. This homemade putty tends to be softer, more gel-like, and less cohesive, making it unable to lift detailed prints.
Undeterred, the kids decided to let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes and then knead it again, which resulted in a more putty-like consistency. They mixed 4 oz of Elmer's Glue All and blue food coloring with 2 oz of Sta-Flo Liquid Starch, using a wooden spoon for the task.
Making homemade silly putty is not only a popular kids activity but also an opportunity for children to practice thinking like scientists and use problem-solving skills. The Summer Science Camp shares classic science experiments that kids will enjoy, providing a fun and educational experience.
If you're looking for more science experiments for kids to try, the Super Cool Science Experiments for Kids page is a great resource. The kids were inspired to make their own silly putty after experiencing it at engineering camp and are now planning to continue working on improving the consistency of their homemade putty.
So, grab your Elmer's Glue All, Sta-Flo Liquid Starch, and food coloring, and join the kids in their scientific adventure this summer!
Science experiments, like the one for making homemade silly putty, provide an opportunity for learning and problem-solving skills, a key aspect of the Summer Science Camp. The kids' DIY project involved combining Elmer's Glue All and Sta-Flo Liquid Starch, following it up with a bit of food coloring for a fun twist. Additionally, exploring projects in home-and-garden, lifestyle, education-and-self-development, and other domains can further enhance one's learning journey.
