Slimy Numbers

Numbers hidden in slime provided a fresh way to combine counting and sensory exploration.

The set up.

What you need:

- Slime (mix 1/2 cup clear glue with 1/2 cup warm water, then separately mix 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tsp borax, glitter and a few drops of food colouring. Slowly stir the borax solution into the glue and water solution until you get a slimy stretchy consistency)

- small numbers (I used number erasers)

- selection of scoopers and plastic cutlery

- small rubber dinosaurs

Step 1: Rescue the numbers

I started off by just letting my son explore the slime a little. He liked squishing and stretching it. I then challenged him to rescue all of the numbers using any of the tools I had provided him with. Much to my surprise he took it upon himself to rescue them in the correct number order and he lined them up neatly as he went.

Rescuing and lining up the numbers.

Step 2: Dinosaur counting

My son asked if he could put his little rubber dinosaurs in the slime. He enjoyed burying them in the 'swamp' and we turned it into a nice counting activity. I would put so many dinosaurs in the swamp and ask him to count them and put the corresponding number in the swamp too. I challenged him by adding and taking away dinosaurs and asking him to change the number.

Dinosaur counting.

Step 3: Enjoying the slime

Before I packed it all away my son enjoyed just playing with the slime. He liked seeing how far he could stretch it and using the plastic cutlery to chop and slice it.

Enjoying the slime.