DIY Slime for Anxiety! Self-care Help for Artists & Creatives
My middle name is certainly not DIY, but I obviously love the arts and love to express myself visually now and then! In particular, around the holidays I will start looking for some fun crafts. Recently, I bought a set of glitter glue tubes to decorate mini Halloween pumpkins. I pulled them out of storage to use them on Christmas stockings to personalize them, and wondered “what else could I use these for?” That’s when I remembered how I have used glitter glue to make slime before, and how it might be something helpful for all of you to know.!
Today I am going to show you how to take some ingredients found in most households (or most markets and drugstores), and turn it into a helpful tool to manage anxiety!
If you would prefer to check out a video version, check out this “highlight” on my instagram
Why slime??
With the rise of fidget spinners and fidget cubes, people are finally starting to pay attention to the benefits of sensory toys. Sensory toys help to engage the 5 senses: smell, taste (if safe!), touch, hear, and see. Engaging your 5 senses is one of the best ways to get “grounded” when you are feeling anxious or less in touch with your body. Being grounded means connecting to the present moment, and by observing our surroundings we are able to do so. Engaging the 5 senses though can be easier said then done, and sometimes we need a little help. This difficulty is one of the reasons things like fidget spinners and cubes are popular, as they help to engage the senses of touching and seeing quite easily. Slime is another sensory toy that is popular with both kids and adults. Even better, it can easily be made at home!
Ingredients I Used
-Glitter Glue Tubes
-Contact Saline Solution
-Baking Soda
-Peppermint Oil
-Tupperware Container and Fork from Takeout
-Measuring Spoons
Recipe (based off this simple recipe from I Heart Naptime)
1) Generally most recipes call for 8 oz of normal liquid glue. I generally like to use glitter glue, as it takes out the steps of having to add glitter or food coloring (if I want the slime to be something other than clear). Because I had these glitter tubes laying around, I mixed a few colors (4 tubes) to make a smaller batch than the typical recipe.
2) Next, I added Baking Soda. I ended up using one teaspoon, after experimenting to find the right amount. Because the tubes did not nicely divide the recipe into half or less, I had to guess a little bit! Goes to show how easy the recipe is! When I realized 1/2 teaspoon was not enough, I simply added another 1/2 teaspoon.
3) I used the same process for the Contact Solution: starting off with 1/2 teaspoon, and adding another 1/2 teaspoon. As I was stirring, I noted how sticky the slime was. If it was sticking to the container, it meant it was still too glue-ey. I also kneaded it a bit with my hands to make sure it was properly mixed.
4) I added 1-2 drops of Peppermint Oil. Personally, I think Lavender would be ideal, but the idea was to use what I had! Those who want something stronger could certainly add more scent. And that’s it!
Yes, my bangs need a trim! But look how relaxxxxed I am! :)
See how easy that was? Let me know if you try it out and what you think! If you are looking for more variations on slime, check this list out!
Until next time,
xx
