Flubber

Flubber

 

Flubber is not just a Disney movie.  If you've never made it, give it a try.  It is a fun alternative to play-doh and it fairly easy to make and store.

 

Recipe:

1. In a large container, combine 1.5 cups warm water, 2 cups white glue and food coloring.
2. In a second, smaller container, combine 11/3 cups warm water with 3 tsp. Borax.  (You'll find Borax near the laundry detergent)
3. Mix ingredients in each container thoroughly.
4. Pour contents of small container into the large container.
5. Mixing gets tricky at this point.  You won't be able to stir it and will have to use your hands.  Lift it, turn it, squeeze it.  One part will be solid while the rest is still liquid.  Just keep squeezing it through your fingers. Flubber will be sticky at first, but once most of the liquid is mixed in it is ready.

What to do with flubber?  Just experiment!  We were introduced to it at a science museum, so they gave us various experiments to try...  What happens when you stretch it? Squeeze it? Put a thin piece of it over the top of a jar?  Kids will find their own things to try.  We usually pull out some of the cookie cutters we use with play-doh as well.  One thing that always fascinates me is to leave the cookie cutters (or any other small plastic toys) on top of the flubber when we put it away in the container.   They will slowly sink and the flubber will flow over and completely cover them.  The next time you pull the flubber out the surface will be completely smooth like the cookie cutters were never there.  So if you had a giant vat of flubber and sat in the middle of it... yikes!

 

You can store flubber in an airtight container for about three weeks.  It is non-edible, so if you have little ones that like to experiment by putting things in their mouths, keep an eye on them.  It seems like two cups of elmers glue mixed with anything would simply create a huge mess, but cleanup is pretty easy.  We do use plastic mats or trays to keep things contained.