It’s time for a fun science experiment that your kids are going to bounce over. I slay me. We are going to make bouncy balls. I remember doing this project as a kid in school, and thought it would be great to share with the Internet. I’m a giving person after all. This is such an easy experiment, that honestly anyone can do. Like many of my school projects this one needs Elmer’s glue. Good old fashioned school glue. You can use both white glue, or clear. The clear glue, when you add food coloring will make a more transparent ball. And as you might expect, the white glue will make an opaque ball. Also on your ingredient list are Borax (laundry aisle), corn starch, water, and food coloring. For tools, you will need two plastic bowls, a spoon, and kids willing to help.

The first step is to put your glue into one cup. Add the food coloring and have your kids mix the two together. Here is a fun tip, if you don’t stir the food coloring in your ball can have a subtle swirly pattern. We like to do this with a few different colors, so as things go get mixed together new colors appear. Next, combine your remaining ingredients in another cup. It’s pretty important to stir this mixture well, cornstarch has the annoying habit of settling to the bottom of the cups. Once everything is mixed, grab that glue mixture and stir it into the borax, water, cornstarch mixture. Almost instantly things will start to clump up. Don’t give up, and keep stirring. Once most of the goop has come together pick it up with your hands and put your kids to work. Much like you would make a ball of play dough, you will roll your goop into a ball shape.

At first you will think that I am crazy, and that the sticky mass will never resemble a bouncy ball. Just keep at it though, and your patience will be rewarded. After a few minutes the stickiness goes away and is replaced by a rubbery texture. And that’s when you know it’s time to start bouncing!