GAK Attack!

*This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.

Ah, Halloween.The time for all kinds of slimy, gooey, gross things to be honored and celebrated. Personally, I don't care for the slimy variety, but I am betting your kids do. So let's learn how to make our own Halloween ooey, gooey, gakkey goodness!

Total Time: About 20 minutes
Difficulty: This one is moderately difficult, depending on the age of your kiddo

Materials You Need:
1 tsp. Borax
Water
4 oz. Glue
Food Coloring (if desired)

Directions:

• In one container mix borax with 1 cup water until dissolved. Set aside.
• In another bowl mix your glue with 1/2 cup water. Add food coloring if you want colorful GAK.
• Pour borax mixture into glue mixture and stir. Really get in there with your hands and knead it.
• Drain off excess liquid and enjoy playing with your GAK!
• Store in a sealed baggie and it will last longer than you probably want it to :)

Print These Instructions

So what's the science behind this? It's pretty amazing, as always. When you mix the borax and glue together you are making a polymer. You can think of a polymer like a chain or a ladder. It's lots of little chemical pieces (called monomers) that hook together to make a long, strong strand. Many synthetic materials are polymers such as plastic, nylon, and styrofoam. Polymers exist in nature, too, in the forms of DNA and proteins.

Do you remember playing with GAK as a kid? You will find that this recipe yields a product that is very close to the real thing you pay big bucks for. The more you knead it, the harder it gets. If you let it rest for a minute it oozes back into a more liquid state. Your kids will think you are super mom (or dad) for making slimy GAK for them and for letting them make all kinds of inappropriate noises with it. This is a wonderful idea for sensory play for kids of all ages.

"Ooh, what is this crazy stuff? It's wet and slimy so I'm just going to poke it."

Thanks for the recipe, Our Best Bites!