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How To Make Super-Easy Oobleck With Only 2-Ingredients

This DIY Oobleck recipe for kids is so much fun to play with! Read how you can make this perfect DIY kid activity in only a few minutes using things from your pantry.

child's hand playing with oobleck in paper bowl with cornstarch and water collaged.

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If you are like me, you spend time setting up different projects for your toddlers and only have them entertained for a few minutes. If you are lucky then maybe they will be entertained for part of an hour.

What is Oobleck Slime?

Oobleck refers to a green substance from Dr. Seuss’s book, Bartholomew. Therefore, if you want to add a literary component to this science experiment then you could always read that book first!

And don’t worry this Dr. Seuss is not one that is being questioned for being appropriate for children in this day in age.

2-Ingredients

The best part is that it only takes two ingredients and one of them is water. The last time we made this, my three-year-old sat at the kitchen table for two hours and did not even ask for us to play with him! He independently entertained himself for that long!

box of corn starch, 2 cups of water and 2 plastic spoons on shiplap background.

I don’t care what kind of mess he made because that was totally worth it to me.

How to make Oobleck?

Step 1: Mix Cornstarch And Water

Mix 2 parts cornstarch with 1 part water slowly. Add the water in slowly and mix it until you get the “goopy gak” consistency that you are looking for. If you add too much water, you can always mix in more cornstarch.   

Kid stirring cornstarch and water to make oobleck.

Optional Step: Add Food Coloring

At our house we are fine with white DIY Oobleck Slime, however, if you would like colored oobleck slime, then feel free to add food coloring.

Step 3: Have Fun Playing

two hands playing messy bowl of cornstarch and water mixed with toy cars.

You can bury toys and cars. Just use your hands to see how it changes states of matter.

Tips

  • Make this easy DIY Oobleck Slime in some sort of disposable container. However, make sure that it will withstand all the mixing. You may want to double up on bowls.
  • The first time we made this, we added too much water too quickly. Make sure to slowly add water and mix!

Incorporate Science Discussion

The best part of this easy DIY Oobleck Slime is that you can discuss states of matter with even your littlest scientist.

hand pulling oobleck and dripping out.

Is it a liquid? Is it a solid?

Even adults will have fun playing with this non-Newtonian. It is very interesting because it behaves like a solid and liquid but acts like a solid when you squeeze it.

I guarantee you will be tempted to have some fun with your little ones.

Once this cornstarch dries up, see how we made the softest homemade cornstarch playdough next!

Activities To Do With Homemade Oobleck

  • My son loves to add toys to the Oobleck. On this particular day, he was using small cars. Another day, he was using small dinosaurs and creating whole imaginative habitat.
  • Give your child small utensils to dig out toys. Or even better, hide small items in the oobleck and see if he or she can find them.
  • Push your hand in and see how easy it is to pull it out (just be careful the bowl may go flying).
  • Add different elements like coloring or glitter to get a different feel.
preschooler's hands playing in oobleck and toys.

What if I don’t have cornstarch?

Here is our Oobleck recipe without cornstarch. Our kids loved playing with this Oobleck just as much as the original.

How-To FAQs

How do you easily clean oobleck up?

It is actually easiest if you let it dry before trying to clean it up. Once it becomes more like cornstarch again, you can vacuum it up. Just know that your kids had a blast with this fun activity!

Is oobleck a solid or liquid?

Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid because behaves like a solid and liquid. It acts like a solid when you squeeze or add pressure to it.

What happens if my oobleck dries out?

When you play with oobleck a lot it naturally will dry out. You can add a little extra water to bring it back to life.

What if my child doesn’t like to get messy?

You can still have fun using oobleck without physically touching it. Try playing with the oobleck using large spoons, skewers or even baskets and strainers.

Related Fun Activities For Kids

I hope you enjoyed this easy DIY Oobleck slime recipe and ideas about how to have fun with your children.

child's hand playing with oobleck in paper bowl with cornstarch and water collaged.

How To Make Oobleck

Kids will love playing with this oobleck slime made from cornstarch and water.
Print Pin Rate
Keyword: how to make oobleck, oobleck
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Active Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 7 minutes
Author: Erin
Cost: under $2

Equipment

  • Bowl

Materials

  • 2 cups Cornstarch
  • 1 cup Water
  • Food Coloring

Instructions

  • Add cornstarch to a bowl.
  • Stir in water slowly to mix.
  • Optional: Add a few drops of food coloring to create a fun effect.
  • Use toys and have fun with your Oobleck.

Notes

  • Doubling up on your disposable bowls will guarantee to be strong enough to support all the playing. 
  • You can double or triple the amount of materials used for even more fun.
  • You can let the bowl sit up to dry up so you can reuse the cornstarch for other fun crafts and activities.

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