How to Make Bouncy Balls – Science Fun

Science + Craft = Fun Learning Experience! Learn How to make Bouncy Balls with your kids. Great for homeschoolers or just rainy day fun!

The kids and I are on a mission to make 1 fun science project every Friday all summer long. This last week we decided to try our hands at Homemade Bouncy Balls. I originally saw these on Pinterest and thought I would give learning how to make bouncy balls a shot.

PS. You can follow me on Pinterest, I am always pinning something fun 🙂

How to Make Bouncy Balls

So we got out the supplies…

• 1 Tbsp Borax
• 2/3 Cup Warm Water
• 2 Tbsp White School Glue
• 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
• Food Coloring

These amounts make 1 ball.

Add the borax to the warm water and stir.

In a second container mix cornstarch, glue, and food coloring.

*UPDATE* we have since learned that it works much better to add 1 tbsp of the borax mixture to the glue mixture and stir. 

After mixed carefully scoop the glue mixture into the borax mix while stirring.  Use a fork or other utensil to scoop up the glue mix after stirring. Start to form it into a ball with your hands. It will be moist. I had the best results by drying my hands well with a paper towel and dabbing the outside of the ball.

Just keep rolling it around in your hands to shape it like a ball. This is when I handed it over the kids and let them do the rolling.

The more you work with it the firmer it becomes.

The Verdict: Learning how to make bouncy balls is a fun afternoon project. They do bounce and the kids had fun. These are the consistency of a very thick silly putty so they do lose their shape and need to be reformed. I also suggest keeping them in a Ziploc so they don’t dry out completely and crumble.

Of course, if you are going to get crafty you should try this DIY Slime Recipe too!

Watch How to Make Bouncy Balls