Learn how to make a big batch of slime for a party or classroom with this easy slime recipe. Homemade slime is a fun party favor, classroom activity, or Valentine’s Day treat!
The stuff bubbling in the big bowl was supposed to be slime.
But instead of the popular, putty-like substance, the bowl was filled with a foaming, bubbling, liquid mess.
A few months ago on a rainy Saturday, my kids begged me to make slime with (or rather, for) them. Honestly, I don’t really get the appeal of the stuff, sort of like how I don’t get the appeal of fidget spinners.
I supposed both slime and fidget spinners keep little hands busy, but at least spinners don’t make a mess in my kitchen.
But I love doing easy crafts with my kids, I gave in and found a slime recipe online. The slime recipe included shaving cream, and we clearly did something very wrong because what resulted was NOT slime.
Like baking, making slime is really chemistry. If you don’t use the right ingredients or assemble them in the correct order, you’ll have a disastrous result.
So when my son and daughter asked for unique Valentine’s Day treats for their classrooms, I reluctantly agreed to give slime another try.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a recipe for a big batch of slime that would make enough for two classrooms. So, I asked my eight-year-old to do some math (results verified by my calculator) to come up with our own recipe to make a lot of slime for all their classmates to enjoy.
Lo and behold, it worked! Here’s how to make a lot of slime for a large group, perfect for a slime themed party, slime Valentines, or classroom activity.
Ingredients to Make a Big Batch of Slime
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The recipe for a big batch of slime has the same basic ingredients that a small batch has, you just need to do math (sorry, I don’t like it either!).
Here’s what you need to make slime:
- Elmer’s School Glue
- Baking Soda
- Basic contact lens solution
- Food coloring
- Glitter and/or sequins
Apparently, there are different kinds of contact lens solutions, so just get the basic stuff (not the kind with hydrogen peroxide). This is chemistry, folks, so any deviation from the recipe will change the results.
The basic ingredients for a small batch of slime are:
- 1 4oz bottle of glue
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon contact lens solution
My kids and I discovered that one ounce of slime is the perfect amount for a party favor. Therefore, this basic list of ingredients is enough to make 4 party favors or slime Valentines.
Next, I’ll show you how to multiply the recipe so you’ll have enough DIY slime for the whole classroom.
The Easy Recipe for a Big Batch of Slime
Note: Want to make Christmas slime for a big group? Just use my quick Christmas slime recipe along with the big-batch measurements in the post you’re reading now.
Don’t be like me.
Our local office supply store was sold out of the big bottles of glue, so I bought several small ones and felt guilty about all that plastic waste (I recycled them, though).
So, plan ahead and buy a giant bottle – Amazon has great prices (free shipping with Prime) on 1-quart bottles and 1-gallon jugs of Elmer’s School Glue.
Now let’s do some math.
- 1 quart = 32 ounces (32 one-ounce slime servings)
- 1 gallon = 128 ounces (128 one-ounce slime servings)
Since it’s pretty unlikely you’ll need 128 slime party favors or have 128 kids in your classroom, for this big slime recipe let’s assume you buy the 1-quart bottle of glue and plan to make a big batch of slime for 32 kids.
Ingredients to make slime in bulk:
- 1-quart (same as 32 oz) of Elmer’s Washable School Glue
- 4 Tablespoons baking soda
- 8 Tablespoons contact lens solution
- Food coloring (as many drops as needed to achieve your desired color)
- Glitter
How to Make a Big Batch of Slime, Step-by-Step
Step 1: Start with glue
Get out a large mixing bowl and squeeze or pour in the glue.
Step 2: Add baking soda
Next, add the baking soda and mix it with the glue. While some slime recipes don’t use baking soda, I find that it’s the best way to give the slime a firmer texture and help it hold its shape.
Step 3: Make the slime colorful
Add the food coloring and mix well. You may need many more drops than you think because this is a LOT of slime! Gel food coloring will work best since it’s quite concentrated.
Step 4: Add texture to the slime
To add texture and sparkle, mix in the glitter and sequins. Beads and mini pom-poms are also great for making slime an even better sensory experience.
Step 5: Make slime stretchy and squishy
Next, add the contact lens solution and mix well, which will make the slime stretch and squish thanks to the boric acid present in the solution.
Step 6: Knead it out
Knead the mixture with your hands, and start lifting the slime out of the bowl.
At this point, it may still feel too sticky, like my daughter’s slime below. If that happens, add a little bit more contact lens solution until the slime starts to feel smooth and squishy but not sticky.
How to tell when your DIY slime is ready to play with
You can tell you’ve used enough contact lens solution when it can hold its shape and leaves the bowl clean, like my son’s slime:
Step 7: Divide your bulk slime into equal parts
Now that you have a big batch of slime, use a plastic knife to divide it up into equal parts so you have 32 one-ounce slime servings for each kid.
I’m still cleaning glitter off my kitchen table, so you may want to put a plastic table cloth or garbage bag on your table before spreading out the slime.
If you’re making slime for a classroom or to use as a party favor, snack-size zip-lock plastic baggies are a perfect size and will keep the slime from drying out.
My kids’ classmates just loved their slime Valentines with my cute, printable Valen-slime labels.
It’s Easy to Make a Lot of Slime for a Large Group!
Not only was the slime loved by my kids’ classmates, but we had a great time making it together.
Making slime is a fun STEM activity that shows your kids what happens when how different ingredients react when they come together. Give it a try using the basic recipe, or make a big batch!
Check out these other ideas:
Kelsey says
Can you add the food coloring after the slime is made? So kids can pick what color they want?