Here is another great homemade recipe using ingredients you probably already have on hand, adapted from The Preschooler’s Busy Book
Here are the recipe ingredients:
Makes 7 5/8 ounces
3/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons corn starch
3/4 cups cold water
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| 1. Heat 3/4 cup of water, 1 teaspoon of vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of corn syrup… |
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| …until boiling. |
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| 2. Meanwhile, mix the other 3/4 cup of water and 2 tablespoons of corn starch together in a separate bowl until well-mixed. |
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| 3. Slowly add the corn starch mixture to the corn syrup/vinegar mixture. Stir continuously until boiling. Once it starts boiling, stir for exactly 1 more minute. |
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| 4. Remove from heat and cool. |
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| Immediately after removing from the heat, it will be a pretty thin liquid… |
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| …but after sitting for 10 minutes, it will thicken up. |
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| 5. Use a funnel to pour into an empty container. I used an old glue bottle that I rinsed and reused. Let it sit overnight before using. |
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| This is what it looks like…slightly clearer than normal Elmer’s glue. And it seems to really work well! |
The bottles of Elmer’s glue are normally pretty inexpensive towards the end of summer (in preparation for back-to-school), so it’s not a HUGE cost-savings. However, it is kind of fun to experiment making your own products while also knowing exactly what’s in them!
cool!!! all ingredients I have!
I am a new follower. Love all of your ideas. I reposted your homemade finger paint on my blog with your link, hope you don't mind but I just had to share it.
Come check me out http://mylifeadventurebyme.blogspot.com/
Shelley
great recipe! it's always nice to know what's in the things our kids use :)
Thank you so much for sharing this! I hate all the plastic bottle waste that comes with buying more glue but couldn't think of an alternative. Now I have one!
awesome! i will try this when the elmers runs out!! love it!
also this will make me not fret so much when the boys get a little squeeze happy! :)
I am just wondering if the second amount of water is supposed to be 1/4 cup? I tried this recipe two ways. First the with 3/4 cup water (cornsyrup and vinegar) and 3/4 cup water (and cornstarch). This was very runny even after sitting over night. it also made about 12 oz. Then I tried 3/4 cup water (cornsyrup and vinegar) and 1/4 cup water (and cornstarch). This worked out to about the right consistency and made about 8oz. maybe I am doing something else wrong, but 3/4 cup plus 3/4 cup is always going to yield about 12oz, unless you boil it a long time reducing the water.
Your watercolor recipe worked out really well and I am thinking about experimenting with turning my thin glue into a liquid paint, like tempera, by adding food coloring. We’ll see how that works out.
Thanks for sharing all of your teaching ideas. I appreciate the easy, frugal, and DIY nature of them.
Hi Anna,
The recipe I used says 3/4 cup water…I’m so sorry it didn’t turn out very well for you! I hope the liquid paint idea works out! :)
I read your reply to the above question, however – It says 3/4 C TWICE (1st line AND last line in ingredients) which already adds up to 12 oz.! So when you got a yield of almost 8 oz., how did the water reduce so much? By the boiling???
It’s a long shot, but does this also work for making slime when mixed with borax? Either way, I’m going to try this out.
It says 3/4 C TWICE (1st line AND last line in ingredients) which already adds up to 12 oz.! So when you got a yield of almost 8 oz., how did the water reduce so much? By the boiling???
Would this be a good recipe to add glitter to make glitter glue? or is there a better recipe for this?
Hi I’m writing from Italy and I’ve just read this amazing recipe for my two children…but I have a question….here is really difficult to find corn syrup…Do you think I could subsitute it with….? waiting for your suggets…
Thank you
Enza ( Italy)
corn syrup Notes: This is a thick, sweet syrup that’s popular in America, but hard to find in other countries. Unlike other sweeteners, corn syrup doesn’t crystallize and turn grainy when it’s cold, so it’s a good choice for frostings, fudge sauces, and candies. Baked goods made with corn syrup are moister and stay fresher longer than those made with sugar. There are two types: dark corn syrup is dark brown and has a slight molasses flavor, while light corn syrup is almost clear and has a more delicate flavor. The two can be used interchangeably in many recipes. Karo is a well-known brand. Store corn syrup at room temperature. Substitutes: golden syrup (Substitute measure for measure) OR honey (This is sweeter than corn syrup, but substitute it measure for measure.) OR molasses (Substitute measure for measure.)
I have the same question as Enza about Corn Syrup substitutes….I’m in France, and can’t find it here, either. Would love to know if anyone out there in cyberspace knows!
I would think molasses would work the same as corn syrup, do you have access to that?