Divas on a Dime: Easy do-it-yourself slime for pennies

June begins the season of “I’m bored” for the summer.

This easy recipe makes translucent oozy, gooey edible slime that will entertain your kids for hours. OK, maybe only 15 minutes, but every minute counts when the kiddies are out of school and summer doldrums kick in.

This is grand old fun for kids of all ages but especially for toddlers because it’s completely non-toxic. As mom to two boys, I’ve bought my share of slime at a couple of bucks a pop, but never again. I’m thrilled at how much fun this is for just pennies.

The Joy of Slime

What can I do with my slime, you ask? This has such an irresistible consistency. If you smack it, it’s solid yet it can slide right through your fingers. You can give slime as a party favor. Put slime in clean baby food jars or small plastic containers as a take-home gift after parties. Add beads, glitter or googly eyes for extra fun. Cut it with cookie cutters or safety scissors. Make a slimy surprise box – make several cups of slime and add small prizes like little plastic animals to the slime. Place it in a box with a hole cut for little hands to reach in a feel around for a prize. Delightfully Eeewwwy!

DIY Slime

What You’ll Need:

½ (heaping) tablespoon soluble fiber (e.g., Metamucil® psyllium fiber)

1 cup water

Food coloring (optional) Edible

Flavoring extract (optional) Edible

Glow paint or pigment (optional) NOT EDIBLE

Here’s How:

Pour the water and fiber into a large microwave-safe bowl. I used orange flavored Metamucil, great color and fiberlicious! Microwave your slime on high power for 2 minutes. Stir the slime with a spoon. Not a whisk, trust me on this. Return it to the microwave and heat it for another 2 - 3 minutes.

Stir the slime and check its consistency. If you want your slime a little denser, microwave the slime another minute or two. Continue checking your slime and microwaving it until you achieve the consistency you like. The more you cook it the thicker it’ll be.

Caution – This gets HOT! Molten lava hot. This is not a project for unsupervised kiddies.

Add a drop of food coloring and/or some glow paint, if desired. Remember not to eat the slime if you use glow paint. You’ll get an interesting effect if you don’t completely mix the coloring into the slime, such as multicolored slime or slime with glowing streaks.

Store your slime in a sealed baggie in the refrigerator to prevent dehydration. The slime will last if you keep it from drying out, but please note this is an edible food product and will eventually mold. Even though this slime is not sticky you should use caution around carpets and upholstery and pet fur. Pets and fiber laxatives should not mix. ‘Nuf said.

Do supervise small children always with slime and if you add goodies like beads to the slime be aware of choking hazards.

So, next time the kiddies get bored whip up a bowl full of o’ slime and be the coolest grown-up on the block.

Frugal Family Fun contributed by Patti Diamond from Divas On A Dime – Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! www.divasonadime.com Join us on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom.