1. No Mess: The clean up is sooo much easier! I’m talking, let it dry and get out the hoover!
2. Easy Recipe: Super super simple to make; just cornflour and Water!
3. Great Learning: Teaches so much about matter; suspended substances specifically.
4. Motor Skills: Helps with fine motor touch; soft and gentle, fast and slow. What’s great is the mixture reacts to touch.
5. New Sensation: Children won’t have felt anything like this before!
6. Customisable (is that a word? I hope so!) you can add colour and scent to it as you choose!
7. Child Safe: You can add it to your gravy after it’s done…! Jokes, it is totally kid safe though. If little ones are in the eating phase it’s a’ok, it won’t taste great but it’ll be safe.
8. Serious Play: It’ll prompt some serious play! Calming when it’s liquid, frustrating when semi-solid and great when it’s solid as you can almost snap it!
9. Throwback Feelings: It’ll give throwback feels for the grown ups to that wonderful custard powder when we were little. None of this pre-made vanilla infused deliciousness you get now!
10. Easy Clean-up: Did I mention the clean up is suuuuper simple?! (It’s in there twice because who’s got that much time as a parent, am I right?!)
It was such a great activity this week and fascinating to see how each child approached it. We had the whole range, some who jumped right in (quite literally!) and some who touched it once and weren’t so keen to play.
The mixture is a strange combination of soft, hard, liquid, solid and strangely everything in between. Learning about matter provides so many great discussions and whilst they may not have the obvious “scientific” sounding language it does help create a dialogue. We’re building the basics of understanding ready for higher level thinking.
Children will also get a great tactile workout as they move and remove the mixture, it’s fantastic for working those little muscles in the hands and arms! The isometric movements help to develop strength used for fine motor skills.



Want to try it at home?
You’ll need:
– a mat to protect your floor
– a big tub or mixing bowl
– cornflour
– water
– and anything else you want to add in! Try… small objects which can get wet, ping pong balls were fun for us last week
Mix the cornflour and water together; adding the water bit by bit to experience each stage of the wonderful mixture!
When you’re done, rinse out in the sink and shake out the mat outside!
Let me know how you get on, I’d love to hear all about it and of course see pictures!
If you’re happy to share, use the #steammsunday
Have a wonderful Sunday!
From Lorna