Easy Homemade Silly Putty
🖐️ A Fun DIY for Kids (and Adults!)
When I think about Silly Putty, I remember I couldn’t wait to get that little egg of joy as a kid. I loved pressing it over the comics in the newspaper or magazines to see the image copy onto the putty. Then the joy of stretching it, distorting the picture on the Silly Putty—Laughing and giggling, how Snoopy turned into a funny dog shape doppelgänger. This was a simpler time, and the simple things made us happy. Or maybe we just didn’t know differently. I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter. It was still a good memory. Today, I like to pass down those little joys in my memory by making easy homemade silly putty with my granddaughters.
Timeless
Silly Putty is one of those timeless items that kids of all ages love to play with. It never gets boring and is always a ton of fun. It bounced, stretched, or picked up newspaper ink. I was hooked as a kid, and I know you will like it too. Silly Putty is one of those timeless playthings that keeps kids entertained for hours without the need for batteries or screens.
Participation Benefits
These days, instead of buying it, I make it at home with just a few pantry staples. It’s quick, safe, and makes a perfect rainy-day project or homemade gift for little ones. Additionally, it’s a great way to incorporate some hands-on science fun.
Making Homemade Silly Putty is perfect for little fingers and for using fine motor skills. Having little ones participate in the creation of Silly Putty or any other “cooking” process with an adult stimulates creativity while also helping to build essential motor skills, such as hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity. It also teaches little ones about taking turns, sharing, and patience.
Sensory Stimulation
Some people (children) have sensory processing issues–I’m no means an expert on this topic. Still, through my research about sensory stimulations for my own grands, Silly Putty is also a beneficial toy to help with sensory stimulation (just like play-dough). Especially those who have sensory processing sensitivities, as it has unique properties that make it both a liquid and a solid.
- The uniqueness of Silly Putty’s smoothness and stickiness can be calming (or alerting) those with unique tactile sensations.
- The stretching, squeezing, and manipulating of the dough helps to calm the nervous system and promote a sense of grounding.
- Squeezing and playing with the Sully Putty creates a calming and stress-reducing activity.
What You’ll Need to Make Silly Putty ✨
I have listed the items you will need to make Silly Putty.
Equipment:
- Glass Mixing Bowl – Glass has non-absorbent materials and can be reused for food afterwards.
- Spoon or Spatula
- Airtight container or Zip-top storage bags
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of liquid starch (like Sta-Flo Liquid Starch)
- 1 cup of white glue (like Elmer’s)
- Food Coloring (pick your color)
Instructions:
This is a basic, silly putty recipe.
- Pour 1 cup of the school glue into a small bowl.
- Add a few drops of food coloring to the white glue. You can use the color of your choice. Stir the glue mixture thoroughly with a spoon until you achieve the desired color.
- Add 1 cup of liquid starch to the mixture and set it aside for at least 5 minutes, as the glue needs to absorb the liquid starch.
- Mix the 2 ingredients together as best as possible. Once it thickened, we kneaded it for 5 minutes; however, the consistency still did not seem right, so we tried letting it sit for a bit longer (5 minutes) and then kneaded it for an additional 10 minutes.
- After this time, mix again with your hands and work the glue/starch mixture until the silly putty is formed. Continue kneading the putty until the desired consistency and texture for kids to play with.
How to Store?
Store inside an Airtight container or Zip-top storage bags
Tips
- Keep the putty clean to last longer. Have little ones wash their hands before and after use.
- If it gets stuck on clothes or fabric, let it dry, then gently peel off as much as possible. Use rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer to clean the residue.
A Learning Bonus
Making silly Putty is a great way to sneak in a mini science lesson. Talk about polymers, mixing liquids, and how the consistency changes. This mini science project can turn into hours of fun play.
Homemade Silly Putty can be fun for both adults and kids. But making Silly Putty from scratch makes memories that will last a lifetime. No matter if you are making it for your kids, grandkids, or for nostalgia, it can help bring joyful playtime.
