Ooey- Gooey Homemade Gak (chemistry experiment for little hands)

Homemade Gak!

Little hands will LOVE this!

Help them mix up some homemade Gak and get their hands into this gooey-gloppy slippery mess for a sensory experience like no other!

The more they knead it the firmer it becomes….  and they will learn about CHEMISTRY and what a POLYMER is too!

Here’s the recipe:

• school glue
• Borax mixture (mix 1 teaspoon Borax laundry booster into 1/2 C. warm water)
• food coloring (if desired)
• bowl
• small cup
• teaspoon
• hands!

Pour glue into a bowl (1 school glue size bottle for an individual batch).  Slowly add Borax mixture to glue- USE YOUR HANDS to mix!

The glue will absorb the Borax mixture causing a CHEMICAL REACTION and creating a polymer.

Continue adding Borax solution to the glue until no more is absorbed (you can pour off any extra Borax solution).

Store your Gak in a ziplock baggie or plastic container.  As it ages it will change from a super slippery wet substance (day 1 at the beginning) to squishy soft goo (day 1 after it’s squished for a while)…. to a firmer Silly Putty type substance.

Children can see how 2 liquids (glue and Borax water solution) react to create a POLYMER.

Wand to learn more about polymers?  Go to Polymer Basics:   http://pslc.ws/macrog/kidsmac/wiap.htm

Here’s another GREAT website to learn about Polymers: http://www.chemistryland.com/PolymerPlanet/Polymers/PolymerTutorial.htm

Here are some great reasons to make Gak:

• hands-on chemistry EXPERIMENT
• SENSORY play (wet & squishy)
• self-regulation (CALMING and centering to squeeze and feel)
• FINE MOTOR strength & dexterity (roll, squeeze, pinch, twirl, poke…. to strengthen little hands and finger

What to do when the Gak gets a little bit firmer:

• early scissors skill practice  (roll Gak into “snakes” then cutting using scissors)
• hide small beads or buttons in the Gak for little fingers to dig for TREASURE! (great fine motor strengthening too)

Enjoy & have FUN!

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