How to Make Oobleck
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Who remembers making oobleck? I remember making it in school and how amazed I was at how it could be a solid one minute and a liquid the next. It truly is the neatest activity!
Read on to discover the three simple ingredients needed to make oobleck.
What You’ll Need
- Water
- Cornstarch
- Food coloring (we used liquid watercolors)
- Bowl
- Mixing spoon
- Legos (optional)
- Craft tray (optional)
After you’ve made oobleck, you may also enjoy this Jack and the Beanstalk STEAM Activity from a fellow blogger.
What to Do
- Add in 2 cups of cornstarch and mix well. Depending on the consistency, you may need to add additional cornstarch.
- At first the kids weren’t sure they wanted to put their hands in the oobleck but we finally convinced them to start with just a finger. They were hooked after that!
You’ll want your oobleck to be somewhat thick but not to the point that it doesn’t turn into a liquid when held in an open hand.
Now try squeezing the oobleck. Does it thicken up into a ball?
We all had a blast and couldn’t help but get in on the fun with the kids.
The kids then decided to add in a few objects to the mix to test if they would sink or stay on top.
Now I know what you’re thinking. Oh woah, no, that looks too messy, I can’t do that! Trust us though, if you place a plastic craft tray under the bowl (and maybe even some newspaper under that, you will greatly contain most if not all of the mess. We also like to put a wipeable tablecloth under our work area (placed on the floor) as well, just in case any falls down. We did have some fall on the carpet but it cleaned up surprisingly easy. Simply wait for it to dry and then wipe it up with a damp washcloth. You can clean the table the same way- once the oobleck dries, it becomes crumbly and is very easy to rub right off the surface it is on.
Does this look like something you’d be willing to try? Let us know in the comments!
If you enjoyed this article, please share it! Or, pin it for later. Don’t forget to check out our other fun activity: orange volcanoes.