Homemade Marbled Bouncy Balls & Ramp

Have I told you how much I love Pinterest???  Oh, I have?  Well, I’ll tell you again.  It is such an amazing way to share cool ideas from amazing bloggers around the web…and it takes literally no time!

This craft/activity is actually a fusion of two ideas I originally saw on Pinterest:  Homemade Bouncy Balls and a Marble Racetrack (made from none other than a foam pool noodle).  I thought it would be fun to make the bouncy balls first and then race them down the track!

Here’s what you’ll need to make 2 bouncy balls (about 3/4 inch in diameter each):  borax, cornstarch, food coloring, water, and Elmer’s glue.


Here’s what you’ll need for the racetrack:  1 foam pool noodle, a sharp knife, and toothpicks.

1.  Put 1/2 T. of Elmer’s glue in each bowl.  Add a few drops of your desired color of food coloring and mix together.

2.  Combine 1/2 teaspoon Borax, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, and 4 tablespoons of hot water in a separate bowl.

3.  Pour the water mixture into one of the bowls with colored glue.  Mix together.

4.  Add the other color.  Drain the liquid and remove the “solid”.

5.  Roll into balls until you reach the desired shape.  Blot with a paper towel if necessary.

The ball will not hold its shape and will never “dry”.  Each time you use it, you’ll need to re-roll it.  Storing the balls in old Easter eggs seems to help.

It really does bounce!

1.  Cut a foam noodle lengthwise using a sharp knife.

2.  Line the two pieces of foam noodle side-by-side.  Break toothpicks in half and push them through the edges of each to hold them together.

See?

3.  Lay on the stairs (or another sloped surface) and race your bouncy balls down!

Loads of fun!

*Be extremely careful when making these balls if you have babies.  Because they are so small, the pose a choking hazard!!

PS- We used the noodle racetrack at VBS this week to let the older kids play a game where they rolled coins from a pile of loose change down the track and then had to sort them according to whether it was a penny, nickel, dime, or quarter.  The lesson was on the parable of the shrewd manager.  How much fun would that be in the classroom when learning about money?!?!