Pumpkin Slime Recipe!

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Here's the perfect fall fun activity! This pumpkin slime recipe is a great sensory experience for all ages - even adults.

October has always been my favorite month of the year. It’s when the temp finally drops a bit in Florida (80s instead of 90s) and is a calm before the holiday frenzy begins. Plus, I love pumpkin! Pancakes, muffins, soup, etc. So when I was sent this pumpkin slime recipe I knew I wanted to share it with you!

Pumpkin sensory fun

My background is in early childhood education. And I raised a child with sensory issues. Pumpkins are great for sensory exploration! Here are a few ideas:

Carve a jack-o-lantern, obviously.
Paint pumpkins or use them as paint rollers or stamps.
Go to a pumpkin patch (or grocery store) and feel all the different textures of various pumpkins and gourds.
Bake a pie or muffins!
Make a sensory bin with pinecones, roasted pumpkin seeds, mini pumpkins, etc.
Get messy with the pumpkin guts! Cut a pumpkin open and let kids squish and pull the guts!
And, of course, make pumpkin slime!

These activities don’t just have to be for kids! Participating in sensory play is good for all of us. It’s soothing, reduces stress, and helps us get in touch with our inner child.

Pumpkin slime

This is a 20 Minute Lab from the scientists and moms at Yellow Scope.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

1 medium bowl
2.5 oz clear Elmer’s glue (half a typical 5 oz bottle)
1/2 teaspoon water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup pumpkin pulp with seeds (a small pumpkin will do!)
1 tablespoon contact lens solution (containing boric acid)
1 spoon
1/4 cup measuring scoop
measuring spoons
Optional: plate and two forks (for separating out excess seeds)

LET’S GET STARTED!

Cut your pumpkin in half and scoop out 1/4 of the pulp and seeds with the measuring cup.
Optional: some pumpkins have a lot of seeds and little ‘goop’. If you want, you can put the contents of your pumpkin onto a plate and use two forks to separate out the excess seeds, so you have more goop to add to your slime.
Add the glue and water to the bowl and mix together with the spoon.
Add the baking soda and mix.
Add the pumpkin guts and mix.
Add the contact lens solution and mix again, this time using your hands! Continue to mix until the slime comes easily away from the walls of the bowl.
Now you have your slime! Squeeze and stretch to your heart’s content!