What is Oobleck?
If you’ve never had any experience with Cornstarch Slime or Goop (or what I call Oobleck from Dr. Seuss’ book Bartholomew and the Oobleck), it is really strange. If you move slowly or hold it still, it behaves like a liquid. But if you quickly agitate it or attempt to roll it up, it behaves like a solid!
This science experiment certainly isn’t a new one…
In fact, you might have already done this science activity with your kids! It is a great sensory experience for little kids and a way to talk about matter (liquids, solids, and gases) with older kids!
The science info (at the bottom of the post) comes from Kitchen Pantry Scientist and Steve Spangler Science!
Oobleck Recipe
Supplies:
Here’s what you’ll need: cornstarch, water, and a large bowl.
Optional: food coloring.
How To Make Oobleck
1. Mix 1 cup of cornstarch and 1/2 cup of water. It should be the consistency of syrup. Add food coloring if you choose. I opted to leave this out to make the clean-up a little easier (and preserve the boys’ clothing).
2. Encourage your child to put his/her hands in the bowl and begin playing. Big Brother was excited, at first…
…the texture took some getting used to. After a few minutes, he really enjoyed it.
Is Oobleck a solid or a liquid?
Cornstarch, the main ingredient of Goop or Oobleck is made up of long chains of atoms. When you move them slowly past one another, they flow like a liquid because they can slide easily past each other. When you squeeze, roll, or agitate them, the “atom chains” will get entangled and form a solid!
Substances like Oobleck are referred to as “non-Newtonian fluids” because they do not have the normal properties of either solids or liquids.
This post was first published May 2012. Updated 2018.
Click here for more fun science activities for kids:
How To Make A Homemade Lava Lamp
Rain Cloud In A Jar Weather Activity
Download your free Science eBook with this experiment and 14 others by clicking below and entering your e-mail address.
Jess says
May 28, 2012 at 10:16 amI love this experiment, and it’s fun to read Dr. Seuss’ book along with it :) We did this same thing with our homeschooling group this year!
samantha says
May 28, 2012 at 12:55 pmDid this with food coloring and a combination of baking soda and corn starch and playing with it in the drive way and made a big fun mess and then when it dried we sprayed it with vinegar and watched it fizz
Debi says
May 29, 2012 at 7:26 amwhat timing. We just read Bartholomew and the Ooblek last night. Now we can have fun making ooblek today. Can’t wait to try this.
Forgetful Mom says
May 29, 2012 at 12:24 pmI love how simple this is and how much my girls both love it!
Sarah says
May 29, 2012 at 6:53 pmI just tried this today. My almost 2 year old LOVED it. She played with it for over 45 minutes! I had fun with it too. And clean-up was pretty easy too.
Kristin says
May 30, 2012 at 9:30 pmThanks for this idea. I just requested the book through the library. I can’t wait to read it and then try this experiment.
Jennifer Eagles says
February 25, 2014 at 7:52 pmMy daughter LOVES science and she is only in kindergarten – I can’t wait to do some fun experiments with her over the March Break!! :) Thank yo so much!
Lel says
December 17, 2014 at 8:52 pmI am excited to get this science ebook!
Jenae says
December 18, 2014 at 2:40 pmDid you access it okay? I have had some people say that they aren’t receiving the second e-mail. If you have any problems, leave a comment or email me at [email protected]. :)
Holly says
January 13, 2015 at 5:08 pmThank you so much for this!!! I teach kindergarten, and every other week we combine with First grade to do a science experiment! The kids LOVED this and were able to record lots of different observations in their science journals!! (Such easy prep too!!!)
Jenae says
January 13, 2015 at 8:49 pmThanks Holly! So glad that you and your students enjoyed this activity!
Jeannie Friesen says
April 19, 2015 at 2:17 pmCan wait to try this with my Kindergarteners!
Jenae says
April 21, 2015 at 2:36 pmThanks Jeannie! Let us know how it goes! :)
Teri says
November 1, 2015 at 8:41 pmLooking for link to science experiments!
Karen Johnson says
February 25, 2018 at 8:52 amThank you!
Alfred says
November 22, 2018 at 9:47 pmIt in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we communicate?