How to make pumpkin slime

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Pumpkins, a member of the Winter squash family, usually come to harvest in October. Perfect in time to carve a Jack’o’lantern for Halloween. But what to do with the left over insides of the pumpkin?

You could make a nutritious soup, pie, roast… even make like Harry Potter and make pumpkin juice. Or you could make pumpkin slime. After all, we all love slime!

Pumpkin slime isn’t just for Halloween either – you could try making it throughout the year with different fruit seeds such as melons or papaya. There is always time for slime.

What do I need to make pumpkin slime?

The good news is that you can find most ingredients for pumpkin slime at home in the kitchen.

The ingredients

  • 280g PVA Glue
  • 140g Magic Slime potion – you can order Little Brian Magic Slime Potion from our sister company Hope Education 
  • Orange food colouring
  • Pumpkin seeds (from pumpkin washed and dried).
  • Pumpkin

The equipment

  • Sharp knife
  • Mixing bowl
  • Spatula

How do I make pumpkin slime?

Although the slime is suitable for all age groups, including big kids, please do this activity with adult supervision:

  • Cut the lid off the pumpkin (take care if using a sharp knife, ask an adult to help if required!)
  • Remove the inside of the pumpkin, keeping the seeds.
  • Wash and dry in the seeds, in clean water.
  • Mix the PVA glue with the Magic Slime potion (you may need to add a touch of water to obtain the right slime consistency!).
  • Knead in the clean pumpkin seeds.
  • Place your slime back in the hollowed out pumpkin!
  • Finally enjoy some messy, spooky Halloween sensory play with your pumpkin’s guts!

Cool! So what is the science behind pumpkin slime?

Pumpkin Slime is a great chemistry lesson too. It demonstrates the cross linking of the borate ions in the magic slime potion with the long identical strands of molecules in the PVA (polyvinyl acetate) glue.

The glue on it’s own is a polymer, made up long repeating strands of molecules, which normally flow in a liquid state.

Add the magic slime potion to the glue and this will connect up the long strands of the glue, so they tangle in much the same way as spaghetti. Until they become a slimy clump of cross linked ions and molecules!

Have you made pumpkin slime?

If you have ever made pumpkin slime, tell us on our Twitter and Facebook pages about you’re your slimy scientific adventures!

Tags: Chemistry