Make your own Silly Putty – Easy Fun!

Posted January 19, 2014, Updated December 3, 2025

 

This recipe can be found in several places online – only a few ingredients and you can make your own silly putty, slime or goo and it lasts really well!

Here is what you need to get started

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup of PVA or Elmers Glue

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 tsp of Borax (I found this at Bin Inn, or you can find at Bunnings or your local hardware store)

1/4 cup of hot water

Food colouring

I found the bowls, measuring spoons etc above all I needed

Please note: Borax can be toxic if ingested so ensure the children are of an age where they do not put their putty in their mouths! So much conflicting info online but better to be safe than sorry and wash hands after use 🙂

Method:

 

Pour the 1/2 cup of PVA (Elmers) Glue into a bowl

 

Add 1/2 a cup of tap water to the glue and stir well

 

Add a few drops of food colouring until you get the desired shade and mix well

 

In a separate small bowl or cup add 1/4 cup of hot tap water and 1/2 a tsp Borax

Mix the borax and water well until the borax has dissolved

 

Pour the Borax/Water solution into the Glue Mix – and watch the magic science happen!

 

As you begin to stir the mixture becomes solid – mix it well at this stage until it forms a more solid mass and comes way from the sides of the bowl

 

And there it is – ooey gooey fun!

 

I have stored mine in snaplock bags and days later it is still fun to play with – should last for weeks if left in a sealed pack.

Lay the putty over a bowl and you get a bubble!

 

  

We have had so much fun with this stuff – let me know how you get on 😀