{"id":7284,"date":"2022-03-11T08:00:51","date_gmt":"2022-03-11T07:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/?p=112908"},"modified":"2022-03-11T08:24:12","modified_gmt":"2022-03-11T07:24:12","slug":"5-of-the-best-slime-kits-for-sensory-play-in-2022","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/rss_feed\/5-of-the-best-slime-kits-for-sensory-play-in-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"5 of the best slime kits for sensory play in 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Sara Rigby\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 11 March 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Whether it\u2019s making their own, playing with pre-made slime or watching videos of the stuff on YouTube, many kids are obsessed with slime. And who can blame them? It\u2019s stretchy, sticky and a bit gross, all of which kids love. It\u2019s also very tactile, making it a great choice for sensory play.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s not just a fun toy: slime can be a great science demonstration, too. As well as learning about the chemistry behind the recipe<\/a> and investigating this material\u2019s strange properties, kids can also practise following the recipe and carefully measuring out ingredients \u2013 both useful scientific skills.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve picked our favourite slime kits for kids who want to make slime from scratch.<\/p>\n

Borax and slime safety<\/h2>\n

A report by consumer group Which? in 2018 found that some pre-made slimes on sale contained levels of boron that exceeded EU safety standards<\/a>.\u00a0In high levels, exposure to boron can cause skin irritation, diarrhoea and vomiting.<\/p>\n

This boron comes from the mineral borax, which is often added to glue to form bridges between long chains of glue molecules, creating the stretchy, slimy texture.\u00a0 Some slime kits use alternatives to borax, such as Elmer\u2019s Glue Magic Liquid, whereas others keep the borax in low concentrations.<\/p>\n

Look out for the CE mark on slime kits before you buy. This symbol ensures that the products conform to EU safety standards. Make sure young children are supervised when they\u2019re making slime.<\/p>\n

More educational toys:<\/strong><\/p>\n