Gloop
Gloop is an interesting substance that you make by mixing corn flour and water. It acts like a solid when you try to hold it and as a liquid that flows easily when you stop applying pressure. It will be fascinating for your kids to discover what gloop does by squishing and moulding it with their hands. The activity is very easy and quick to set up, inexpensive and good for hours of messy play for your kids.
We did it on an afternoon when Grandma and Grandpa were visiting. Grandpa was watching the baby (read taking a nap with the baby). And Grandma joined in on the fun, she felt like a 2 year old kid again.
Age
From 1 - 5 years (maybe older)
What you need
2 cups of corn flour / starch
1 cup of water
Large plastic container/ bowl
Food colouring (optional)
Preparation
As it might get messy, have your kids wear an apron or an old shirt and protect your table or floor covering it with an old newspaper.
Play
Add 2 cups of corn flour and 1 cup of water into a large container. A large plastic container is perfect for inside play as it keeps the mess to a minimum. If you don’t have a large container, use a large bowl.
Add some food colouring (optional), which is a safe and easy way to add colour to any play activities. It is not expensive and you only need a few drops, so the small bottle will go a long way.
Let your child do the mixing, and the fun begins! They can explore the Gloop with their hands by squeezing and moulding it. In the beginning the substance is still quite smooth, but by mixing it the gloop continues to get more solid.
You can use beads, cups, spoons and a kitchen strainer to add to the fun.
Add-ons for more fun play
Let your kids use their imagination and use gloop for pretend play. Here are some ideas;
Easy to clean up, you can just wipe it off with a cloth and some warm water. Just be careful when you have a lot of gloop left over, it could block the drain.
Educational
Kids learn by exploring their senses. By adding play, learning gets more fun. Sensory play – such as gloop - is a great example. It is an open-ended unstructured activity and therefore a great way for your kids to use their imagination, creativity and develop their fine/gross motor skills.
Talk to your child about the substance when playing and explain the different stages it has; powder, dry, wet, and solid. By adding food colouring, they can learn to recognize colours and what happens when you mix colours together.
We did it on an afternoon when Grandma and Grandpa were visiting. Grandpa was watching the baby (read taking a nap with the baby). And Grandma joined in on the fun, she felt like a 2 year old kid again.
Age
From 1 - 5 years (maybe older)
What you need
2 cups of corn flour / starch
1 cup of water
Large plastic container/ bowl
Food colouring (optional)
Preparation
As it might get messy, have your kids wear an apron or an old shirt and protect your table or floor covering it with an old newspaper.
Play
Add 2 cups of corn flour and 1 cup of water into a large container. A large plastic container is perfect for inside play as it keeps the mess to a minimum. If you don’t have a large container, use a large bowl.
Add some food colouring (optional), which is a safe and easy way to add colour to any play activities. It is not expensive and you only need a few drops, so the small bottle will go a long way.
Let your child do the mixing, and the fun begins! They can explore the Gloop with their hands by squeezing and moulding it. In the beginning the substance is still quite smooth, but by mixing it the gloop continues to get more solid.
You can use beads, cups, spoons and a kitchen strainer to add to the fun.
Add-ons for more fun play
Let your kids use their imagination and use gloop for pretend play. Here are some ideas;
- Add some red food colouring, some dry pasta and beads to make tomato soup.
- Make a fish pond by adding blue food colouring and some plastic fish and boats.
- Play with it in the bath tub so the kids can feel it over their whole body and the easy clean up is a bonus.
Easy to clean up, you can just wipe it off with a cloth and some warm water. Just be careful when you have a lot of gloop left over, it could block the drain.
Educational
Kids learn by exploring their senses. By adding play, learning gets more fun. Sensory play – such as gloop - is a great example. It is an open-ended unstructured activity and therefore a great way for your kids to use their imagination, creativity and develop their fine/gross motor skills.
Talk to your child about the substance when playing and explain the different stages it has; powder, dry, wet, and solid. By adding food colouring, they can learn to recognize colours and what happens when you mix colours together.