Make Your Own Stress Ball

This DIY explores non-Newtonian fluid—non-Newtonian what now? It sounds complicated, but the kids will soon learn all about this material’s properties by making their very own mixture.

 

Gather these supplies:

kitchen utensils

scissors

large container

funnel

cornstarch 

small toys

balloon 

food coloring 

water

Follow these steps:

  1. In a mixing bowl, mix together two cups of cornstarch and one cup of water together. For a larger batch, add a 2:1 ratio of cornstarch to water. For a colorful mixture, add food coloring to the water.

  1. Make sure the mixture is thick but loose, not watery. Once everything is mixed together, try pushing your fingers into the mixture. What happens when you try to hold it?

  1. Pour a small amount of your mixture into a balloon. Tie it off and squeeze away!

What is this magic-like mixture?

A non-Newtonian fluid is a material that can be both a liquid and a solid. This material is actually called “oobleck” (based on a Dr. Suess book, Bartholomew and the Oobleck). Experiment more with the mixture before you add it to your balloon. Use toys and kitchen utensils while you play. What happens when you place toys on the mixture? What happens when you squeeze the mixture in your hand? And when you open your hand? Learn more about non-Newtonian fluids in this video.

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