Saving the Slime

Slime... Gotta love it!! When I found the recipe for the slime I was excited to find out that I could keep it for more than a day. Teacher Tom asked if we would keep it to use on Tuesday... and "Oh Yes" we will... I have a few little ones who didn't want to touch it. They looked at it, they poked it with skewers, and they told me what they thought it would feel like, but they didn't touch it. I want to give them the opportunity to touch it at their own pace and leaving it out for more than that one day is the key. I will make sure there are lots of different tools that they can use, I know with time they will touch it and figure out if they like it or not.

I think it is sooooo important to let the kids experiment at their own pace. They have been told "No" so many times that they are afraid to try new things. (not all kids of course) I remember when a child first came to me, he would not go to the sensory table. He was apprehensive of anything I put in there. I started out with simple things like water, cotton balls, or beans. I would but tongs, cups, spoons, and buckets in there. He would look at the materials, peek over the side, and then walk away. He liked the water, but that was it. I would try to get him to try it, but didn't push it. It took about 2 months, but he finally started using the utensils and then his hands. He loves it now and loves to get dirty... but the Slime... that will take a little while. He's not so sure yet... but I know him and he will touch it with time. His own time :)

So our Slime will be here for as long as it stays safe and non-moldy... and when it gets moldy we will get our magnifying glasses out and see what that looks like. I think I will probably add some polar bear figures and penguins to the slime next week and that might entice some of my hesitant preschoolers to play with it.







My own children have asked to take it out of the fridge to play with it... so I am now hoping it will last the long weekend. Having 4 little boys in the house and all this stuff from preschool... sometime the two don't mix and I have to redo some of the play dough or paint material... so if the slime doesn't make it, I will just have them make some more. A project I think they might like even better than playing with it :) Huh...