How To Make Oobleck Without Cornstarch

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We love making DIY Oobleck, and so do our kids! But sometimes, we don’t have cornstarch in our pantry. Find out how to make this no-cornstarch Oobleck recipe for slimy fun!

child's hands playing with oobleck made from baby powder.

Why You Will Love This Hands-On Activity

KID FRIENDLY – Kids love playing and getting messy.
SUPER EASY TO MAKE– You can make this in less than 5 minutes for endless play.
MODIFY SUPPLIES – Depending on your supplies, you can make this baby powder Oobleck, classic cornstarch Oobleck, or other recipes.

What is Oobleck?

Oobleck is a green substance from Dr. Seuss’s book Bartholomew and the Oobleck. Add a literary component to this science experiment by reading the book first!

And don’t worry about this Dr. Seuss book, as it is not being questioned for being inappropriate for children today.

baby powder bottle, measuring cups and bowl on marble countertop.

Supplies You’ll Need

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1 cup of Baby Powder
1/2 cup Water
Mixing Bowl and Spoon
Optional: Food Coloring
Bartholomew and the Oobleck

What type of baby powder do you need?

You can’t say this is entirely cornstarch-free, since you need to use baby powder that contains cornstarch. The end of the post has a few suggestions about two other recipes you could try.

What is so cool about Oobleck slime?

Oobleck is both a solid and a liquid because it is a non-Newtonian fluid. You can get kids to observe these characteristics as they play. We love learning through play!

NOTE: This is not an edible recipe. Therefore, watch your little ones and encourage them to keep their hands away from their faces.

Easy Oobleck Recipe Using Baby Powder

Before You Begin

We recommend playing and making this baby powder Oobleck outside. It makes it so much easier to clean up if you use this for sensory activities outside!

collage of images mixing baby powder, water and coloring to make Oobleck.

Step 1: Add Baby Powder

Add 1 cup of baby powder to the bowl.

Step 2: Add water.

Carefully pour in a 1/2 cup of water.

Step 3: Carefully Stir The Mixture

An adult may need to help scrape the bottom of the bowl to mix the powder and water thoroughly.

Optional Step: Add food coloring.

You can always add a different primary color to change your oobleck as you play. Eventually, we added yellow food coloring to our red oobleck to get a yellow-orange color.

Step 4: Have fun exploring.

This non-Newtonian fluid is super fun to experiment with and play with.

How long does Oobleck last?

We were only able to use it that day. We have let the water evaporate so that we can reuse the powdered material.

You may be able to use it the next day by sealing it in an airtight container and adding a little water.

hand pulling star cooking cutter out of oobleck.

Sensory Play Ideas

My daughter loves to add toys to the Oobleck. On this particular day, we pulled out a playdough cookie cutter, which was fun to play with.
Give your child small utensils to dig out toys. Or even better, hide small items in the oobleck and see if they 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, such as coloring or glitter, to achieve a distinct feel.

Tip For Clean-Up

We played with our Oobleck outside.
When we were done, we rinsed our hands in a bucket of water and used a towel to dry off. The baby powder instantly came off my daughter’s hands.
Leave the container you played with outside to dry or just throw it in the trash. When the water has evaporated, you can crack the dried material out.
We do not recommend placing this substance down your drain.

child's hands being washed in a bucket of water.

Tutorial FAQs

Can I use flour to make Oobleck?

Not unless you want a sticky pancake batter mess on your hands. Flour does not have the same properties as corn starch or its substitutes.
If you only have flour, consider making homemade playdough instead. We have a great slow cooker playdough recipe that does use cream of tartar.

Is Oobleck a solid or a liquid?

Oobleck is considered a non-Newtonian fluid or a liquid and solid. You can experiment with what happens when you squeeze or hold the Oobleck. You will notice that when pressure is added the substance slips through your fingers.

Is Tapioca powder and Tapioca flour the same thing?

Yes, pretty much. It just depends on the marketing and packaging of different companies.

What happens if it is too watery? Or too thick?

If it is too watery, slowly add more baby powder until it begins to gather on the spoon. If it is too thick, add a little water and stir until you achieve the right consistency.

What’s a substitute for cornstarch in Oobleck?

Tapioca Flour or Arrowroot powder can be used as a substitute for the cornstarch baby powder.