Free Activities For Kids-Get Your Bounce On With Flubber From Kid’s Korner
Kid’s Korner
Get Bouncing With Flubber
Time to get bouncing with this week’s Kid’s Korner- it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get ready to make glow in the dark FLUBBER!!! Just the name conjures up visions of fun. Whether you are old enough to remember to the original 1963 “Son of Flubber” movie with Fred MacMurray or the newer version with Robin Williams, you automatically know that when Flubber is involved, hijinks will ensue. No need for your own chemical laboratory for our Flubber, like most of our Kid’s Korner Activities, our Flubber can be created for little or no expensive just by using items you already have on hand at home. Let’s get started:
- 8 oz. bottle Elmer’s Glue-Clear or White
- Borax (powered laundry soap that can be found at any grocery store)
- Large plastic mixing bowl
- Spoons
- Measuring Cup
- Food Coloring or Glow in the Dark Paint
- Water
- Ziplock bags to store the Flubber
Directions:
1. For this version of Flubber, empty an 8 ounce bottle of glue into a mixing bowl. If you can’t find an 8 ounce bottle two 4 ounce bottles will also work. Fill the empty glue bottle with warm water and shake.
2. Pour the glue/water mixture into the mixing bowl and stir well with your mixing spoon.
3. Add a few drops of food coloring or Glow in the Dark Paint to the mixture and stir. You can also use the contents of a Glow Stick to achieve the same results.
4. Measure 1/2 cup of warm water into a plastic cup and add 1 1/2 teaspoons of Borax to the water. Stir the Borax solution until most of the Borax has dissolved. The Borax solution is the secret linking agent that causes the Elmer’s Glue molecules to turn to Flubber.
5. While stirring the glue and water in the mixing bowl, slowly mix in a little of the Borax solution. You should immediately feel the strands of the molecules starting to connect. At that point, it’s time to have some fun. Leave the spoon behind and use your hands to continue the process. Keep mixing and combining in the remaining Borax solution until you have the perfect Flubber consistency.
6. For extra magical Flubber, add in some glitter or sequins.
7. When you’re finished playing with the Flubber, seal it up tightly in a Ziplock bag and save for later
Is it a solid? Is it a liquid? What exactly is this slimy, stringy, rubbery stuff? This particular variation of Flubber will probably remind you a similar substances sold in many toy stores. This is a popular version of how to make Flubber among teachers because it is easy to make and serves as a great visual tool to use when introducing students of all ages to the properties of polymers. Plus did I mention that it’s fun and we all know the child who has fun learning will be a success. Now the only question left is “What are you waiting for?”
