How to Make Space Mud

Space mud has been a long standing family favorite in our home. Almost any child you meet loves to work with modeling clay or salt dough, but occasionally you need to pull a new trick out of your hat. If you want a sure-fire way to gain the attention of everyone in the room, simply announce "Today is the day we are going to make space mud.". The children in my care will willingly pick up every toy, book, and crayon in record time to reap this reward. I have found this is an inexpensive and easy activity, and most importantly, the ingredients are easy to obtain.

To begin this great adventure you should assemble the needed supplies. You will need two long-handled spoons and two large bowls. If you have a transparent or clear glass bowl available it will add to the fun. The children will actually be able to see a chemical reaction taking place before their eyes. If a clear bowl is not available, you may want to position your workstation so that the smaller children will be able to look down into the bowl. When I make space mud I often sit on the floor and have the children sit in a circle of chairs around me. The only other ingredients you will need are water, food coloring, school glue, and 20 Mule Team Borax. 20 Mule Team Borax is a laundry additive and is available in many retail stores. I usually find it in the same aisle that has laundry detergent and bleach. You will want to have a gallon sized zipper seal bag to store your space mud.

This flexible, versatile, long-lasting substance is almost as much fun to make as it is to play with. After assembling your supplies you should start by mixing two cups of white school glue with one and one half cups of room temperature water. Stir this mixture with a long-handled spoon until it is well blended. You can then add a few drops of food coloring until the desired shade is created. In recent years many new shades of food coloring have hit the market, including some neon colors. Have some fun creating different shades by blending two or more colors. Give this mixture another quick stir and you are ready for the next step.