Silly Putty Bouncy Balls
My sons love bouncy balls. This version is a cross between old school Silly Putty and super bouncy balls. They can be molded into shapes, stretched, bounced and blended with other balls. We used food coloring and mixed in glitter to make each one unique.
Weirdly, they bounce better on carpet -- I'm sure there is some deep scientific explanation for that but anyway -- just make sure you use washable dye in case it transfers. We found these were best kept outdoors or on a craft table. It's fun to sread it over newspaper, then slowly pull up to read the other side just like silly putty . Mold it into just about any shape as you would Playdough then when you're ready to bounce again roll it back into a ball using your palms.
This is an easy and fun project to make for kids of all ages. After a few days they dry out but since the ingredients are easy to find and cheap we simply made more throughout the summer.
We made a quick YouTube video showing each step in the process. It's a great science experiement for little ones.
Directions for 1 ball (multiply to make several balls at once): Combine 1 cup hot water in a craft bowl, stir in 1/2 teaspoon of borax and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch In a separate bowl combine 1 tablespoon school glue with a few drops of food coloring. Stir to combine. Add watery solution to glue and stir with a plastic knife or popsicle stick. Pull gooey ball from solution and shape into a ball with you palms. That's it, have fun!