I am always looking for something fun (and different) to do with the grandkids when they come for the weekend or for an extended stay in the summer. If they are staying for several days it is important to keep things exciting by adding something new to the agenda of the day. It was natural for me to draw from my experience in the preschool classroom! GAK was one of my favorite activities to make with my students and sure enough…it was a hit with the grandkids. Now when they come, I often hear, “Honey! Let’s make a potion!” At that point, I am opening my pantry closet to see what ingredients I have on hand so we can mix something up! By the way, they never tire of making the same potion over and over again! Look at the smiles on the faces below…
There are various recipes for GAK but my favorite is the one listed here. He calls it SLIME but most teachers I know call it GAK.
The recipe is simple.
You will need the following:
8 ounces of Elmer’s Glue
Borax (You can find a box of Borax on the laundry aisle at any grocery store. One box will last you forever because you only need a small amount!)
Water
Food Coloring
Spoon
Mixing Bowl
Zip Lock Bag for storage
Step by Step Directions:
Mix 1 tablespoon of Borax with one cup of warm water. Stir until it dissolved.
In a large mixing bowl add as much glue as you need for your group of kids. (For these two, I used two 4 oz bottles of glue and we had plenty!)
Add an equal amount of water to the glue. (After I dump all of the glue out, I just fill up the glue bottles with warm water, shake it, and pour it into the bowl.
Wash hands. You do NOT want to add any extra germs to the mix!
Add food coloring. We like it bright so we add quite a few drops. Stir.
Now…add the secret ingredient! The Borax! Add a little Borax solution to the mixture. Continue to add it a little at a time as you mix the solution with your hands. Stop when you get the consistency that you want. Be careful as the food coloring will stain clothes and carpets. You can see that we always do this in my kitchen at the island or outside on the back porch.
This concoction provides so much entertainment for all ages. (The two in the photo are kindergarten and ninth grade!) Cookie cutters do not work very well with this mixture but plastic or dull knives are fun as well as scissors. The most fun comes from just handling the GAK itself. It is cool to the touch and very easy to clean up. When our crew finished with it they put it in a ziplock bag and used it again the following day.
Making and playing with GAK is one more way to get kids off of technology and into face to face conversations. Enjoy the laughter and fun!