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Oobleck is a funny mixture of water and cornstarch that acts like both a liquid and a solid!It's a great taste safe activity for messy sensory play with toddlers or as a STEM lesson for preschoolers and elementrary school aged kids. In this post, discover how to make oobleck with a step-by-step tutorial, plus STEM activities and holiday themed sensory learning activities using it!
Table Of Contents
- Watch the tutorial for making oobleck:
- Oobleck ingredients:
- What is oobleck?
- Oobleck Recipe:
- Step-by-Step Instructions On How To Make Oobleck:
- How long does oobleck last?
- How do you clean oobleck?
- STEM Activity Checklist with Oobleck:
- Holiday Themed Oobleck Activity Ideas:
- How long does it take to set up and clean up oobleck?
Watch the tutorial for making oobleck:
Oobleck ingredients:
Cornstarch and water.
That’s it! Two ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen!
If you want to spice things up or theme your oobleck for sensory learning play, you can add some food coloring and toys too – like I did in this fall activity!
What is oobleck?
Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid. Sounds fancy, right?
It basically means it’s not quite a liquid, or a solid; and it can act like both!
Oobleck is known as the original slime; and parents will love that it's much easier to make than play dough or slime! They don't need to fret about their kid getting it in their mouth either! AND it still provides just as much fun and sensory learning! Seriously, it’s so easy to make, a toddler can even do it!
It’s great for young children (taste safe!!) and for older ones (STEM lessons!!) in teaching how changes in pressure can change the properties in how some materials behave.
In laymen’s terms: think how cool air applied to water freezes it and heat applied to it melts it.
Hard pressure applied to oobleck solidifies it, and light pressure causes it to act like a liquid.
Oobleck Recipe:
- 2 cups of cornstarch
- 1 cup of water
- Optional: food coloring
Step-by-Step Instructions On How To Make Oobleck:
Add your cornstarch to a bowl, then add the water and mix!
Tip: If you’d like to color your oobleck, add the food coloring to the water BEFORE adding the water to the bowl.
Troubleshooting:
- If you find your oobleck doesn’t form a solid and is too watery, simply add a little more cornstarch.
- If you find your mixture is too solid and isn’t liquidy, add more water
How long does oobleck last?
Oobleck should be used that day. However you can add water to it to revitalize it as it begins to dry out if you want to use it the next day.
How do you clean oobleck?
Hot water cleans ooblecks right out! Simply add some hot water to a dish towel and wipe your counters, hands, or container clean. You may want to run the hot water in your sink for a little to ensure the mixture fully melts away.
The other option to clean oobleck is letting it dry out. This is my go-to option to continue the play! Let the oobleck dry out overnight, then let your kid smash it into pieces (or “excavate” their toys) and throw it away when you finish.
STEM Activity Checklist with Oobleck:
- Quick pressure: hit the oobleck with a spoon and notice how the viscosity increases when the cornstarch particles are forced together.
- Slow pressure: Slowly scoop your spoon into the mixture and notice how it acts more like the water in the recipe. Have your child move the spoon (or fork) through the mix slowly and see how it glides. Then have them apply more pressure and go fast and see how it gets stuck!
- Make a ball: again cornstarch particles moving together form a solid you can mold in your hands!
- Relax your hand: after forming a ball, relax the hand and notice how the release of pressure melts your ball away
Holiday Themed Oobleck Activity Ideas:
Oobleck is great on it's own! But my toddler especially loves the add-ins to theme the activity! Here are some ideas for things to add to your oobleck sensory learning experience!
- Fall Sensory Oobleck using fall foliage and items from nature (rocks, pine cones, acorns, leaves, twigs, etc.)
- Back To School Oobleck: Use a crayon box for this one! Pencils, ruler, crayons, mini apple or wooden apples, play glasses, etc.
- Halloween Oobleck: Dye oobleck green and add to a witch's cauldron! Add eyeballs, spiders, worms, etc. OR Use a carved out mini pumpkin and dye the oobleck orange add in the same items or just use the pumpkin seeds. You could even cut a jack-o-lantern face to have the oobleck ooze out
- Thanksgiving Oobleck: Mini gourds, corn, feathers, cranberries, etc.
- Hanukkah Oobleck: Dreidels, gelt, candles, mini menorah
- Winter Oobleck: Option 1: cranberries, pinecones, evergreens, snowflakes; Option 2: Arctic oobleck! Dye it blue or leave it white, add in penguins, polar bears, whales, etc.
- Christmas Oobleck: Dye oobleck red or leave it white and add in santa, reindeers, bows or presents, candy canes, etc.
- New Years Oobleck: Add blow horns/tassels, confetti, and anything sparkly!
- Mardi Gras Oobleck: Create purple, green, ,and yellow oobleck, then pour into a tray and add in Mardi Gras beads, masks, and whatever else you can find!
- Valentine's Day Oobleck: Dye your oobleck red or pink (or leave it white), add in hearts and baby cupids
- St. Patrick's Day Oobleck: Dye your oobleck green, add in leprechauns, gold, rainbows, shamrocks, etc. ALTERNATIVELY make rainbow oobleck (separate batch of oobleck for each color of the rainbow) poured into a counter with St. Patty's themed items!
- Easter Oobleck: Add eggs, bunnies, spring flowers, chick-a-dees, etc.
- July Fourth Oobleck: Add red, white, and blue items, flags, etc.
How long does it take to set up and clean up oobleck?
It takes about 2-5 minutes to set up oobleck, which your child can help with.
Clean up varies based on how messy you get while playing! I'd suggest doing this activity outside or with a splash mat under you. What tends to happen is little hands go into the mixture, the mix is solid from their force, then melts away as they are moving their hands onto the next thing. While it melts away, it likely will melt on the chair/floor where your child is playing.
While it's easy to clean (just wipe it away), depending on how much your child flails their hands, the oobleck could get EVERYWHERE since it does run like a liquid when there's no pressure applied.
And that's how you make oobleck! Tell me, have you made oobleck before? How'd it go?!
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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert in the topic of oobleck, let me provide you with some information related to the concepts used in this article.
What is oobleck?
Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid, which means it doesn't behave like a typical liquid or solid. It can act like both depending on the pressure applied to it. Oobleck is often referred to as the original slime because of its unique properties. It's easy to make and safe for toddlers to play with, as it is taste-safe.
Oobleck Recipe:
To make oobleck, you'll need just two ingredients: cornstarch and water. The recipe calls for 2 cups of cornstarch and 1 cup of water. If you want to add some color to your oobleck, you can use food coloring. Simply add the cornstarch to a bowl, mix in the water, and optionally add food coloring. If the mixture is too watery, add more cornstarch. If it's too solid, add more water.
How does oobleck behave?
Oobleck's behavior is influenced by pressure. When light pressure is applied, it acts like a liquid and flows freely. But when a harder pressure is applied, it solidifies and behaves like a solid. You can experiment with oobleck by hitting it with a spoon to observe how the viscosity increases when the cornstarch particles are forced together. Alternatively, slowly scooping your spoon into the mixture will show how it acts more like a liquid. Forming a ball with oobleck demonstrates how the particles can come together to form a solid, while releasing the pressure causes it to melt away.
Cleaning oobleck:
Cleaning up oobleck is relatively easy. Hot water can be used to clean oobleck off surfaces, hands, or containers. Simply wipe the oobleck with a dish towel soaked in hot water. If you prefer, you can also let the oobleck dry out overnight, allowing it to turn into a solid that can be easily disposed of.
STEM activities with oobleck:
Oobleck can be a great tool for STEM activities. Here are some ideas:
- Quick pressure: Hit the oobleck with a spoon and observe how the viscosity increases when the cornstarch particles are forced together.
- Slow pressure: Move a spoon or fork slowly through the oobleck and notice how it glides like a liquid. Apply more pressure and see how it gets stuck.
- Make a ball: Form a ball with the oobleck in your hands and notice how it behaves like a solid.
- Relax your hand: Release the pressure on the ball and observe how it melts away and behaves like a liquid again.
Holiday-themed oobleck activity ideas:
Oobleck can also be themed for different holidays, making it even more fun. Here are some holiday-themed oobleck activity ideas:
- Fall Sensory Oobleck: Use fall foliage, rocks, pine cones, leaves, and twigs to create a sensory experience.
- Back To School Oobleck: Use school supplies like crayons, pencils, rulers, and mini apples to create a back-to-school theme.
- Halloween Oobleck: Dye the oobleck green and add eyeballs, spiders, worms, or use a carved-out mini pumpkin.
- Thanksgiving Oobleck: Add mini gourds, corn, feathers, cranberries, and other Thanksgiving-themed items.
- Hanukkah Oobleck: Use dreidels, gelt, candles, and a mini menorah to create a Hanukkah-themed oobleck.
- Christmas Oobleck: Dye the oobleck red or leave it white, and add Santa, reindeers, bows, presents, and candy canes.
- New Year's Oobleck: Add blow horns, tassels, confetti, and anything sparkly to celebrate the new year.
- Mardi Gras Oobleck: Create purple, green, and yellow oobleck and add Mardi Gras beads and masks.
- Valentine's Day Oobleck: Dye the oobleck red or pink, add hearts, and baby cupids for a Valentine's Day theme.
- St. Patrick's Day Oobleck: Dye the oobleck green and add leprechauns, gold, rainbows, and shamrocks.
- Easter Oobleck: Add eggs, bunnies, spring flowers, and chick-a-dees for an Easter-themed oobleck.
- July Fourth Oobleck: Add red, white, and blue items, flags, and other patriotic decorations to celebrate Independence Day.
Set up and clean up time:
Setting up oobleck typically takes around 2-5 minutes, and it's an activity that your child can help with. Clean up time will vary depending on how messy the play gets. It's recommended to do this activity outside or with a splash mat underneath to contain any mess. While oobleck is easy to clean, it can get everywhere if not contained, as it behaves like a liquid when there's no pressure applied.
I hope this information helps you understand the concepts and ideas related to oobleck. Let me know if you have any further questions!
