Homemade Bouncy Balls

Wow the kids this summer and make bouncy balls that glow-in-the-dark! This activity explores science in a way that kids of all ages are sure to love! #growingajeweledrose #howtomakebouncyballs #homemadebouncyballs #bouncyballsdiy #bouncyballs #bouncyballsrecipe #glowinthedarkbouncyballs

Using just a few common ingredients you can make your own bouncy balls that glow-in-the-dark!
This activity combines art and science in a way that kids of all ages are sure to love!

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These glow-in-the-dark bouncy balls were easy to make, and my girls had a lot of fun testing them out on varying surfaces. The mixing process was mesmerizing with lots of learning elements sprinkled in along the way. Are you ready to wow the kids and make glowing bouncy balls?

Glowing Bouncy Balls Recipe

Materials:

Note: You can use a blacklight fixture or these cool flashlights. My girls love using the flashlights!

Method (per ball)

In a small bowl combine:

1/2 tsp of borax
4 tbsp of corn starch
4 Tbsp of warm water

Mix until all ingredients are dissolved.

In a separate Bowl Combine:

1 Tbsp white glue
1 Tsp of glowing paint

Mix until the paint is completely blended into the glue.

Once the ingredients of both bowls are well mixed combine the two bowls.

Allow the ingredients to react by themselves for a minute or two and then begin mixing.
As you mix a sticky, slimy material will form.

Remove the material from the bowl and continue to mix it with clean, dry hands.
As you knead the material it will lose it's stickiness and become dry and rather hard, yet still mold-able.
Continue to knead and roll the material until you have formed your bouncy ball.

Repeat these steps for each color bouncy ball that you wish to make.

Making Rainbow Bouncy Balls

To make RAINBOW bouncy balls you will need to first make 6 separate glow-in-the-dark balls, one in each color of the rainbow.
Then, break them apart and mix them together!

We broke each ball into 6 pieces to make 6 RAINBOW bouncy balls.

Rosie and Jewel had lots of fun experimenting to see what surfaces the balls would bounce best from!

Extend the Fun

Make an egg bounce!
Further explore science and make rainbows ERUPT!!.
Make glow-in-the-dark sidewalk chalk.

Notes about the bouncing balls:

You can get white school glue in bulk online here, and the paint that we use can be purchased here.
Borax is available on Amazon here.
These balls are different from store bought bouncing balls. They do not bounce as high nor do they bounce on all surfaces, but a big part of the fun is the experience of making the balls & experimenting with them.
When play time is over you can store your bounce ball material in a zip-lock bag in the fridge for future play. Next time you are ready to play just pull out the material and re-form it to make bouncy balls.
The material of the bouncing balls is very similar to slime, only thicker. The balls will lose their shape if left to sit.
Placing your bounce ball material in the refrigerator before playing helps the balls to hold their shape longer.
The bouncy ball material is also fun to play with in other ways. It can be used as a sensory material in it's own right and GLOWS BRIGHTLY, which is always a hit with kids.
Borax is not meant for consumption and should be kept out of the reach of small children who may be tempted to taste. Please use your own judgement to determine if this activity is suitable for your child.