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.

In the other bowl (if possible this bowl should be transparent or clear glass), mix one cup of very hot water and two and one half level tablespoons of 20 Mule Team Borax. Stir this mixture with the other spoon until all the detergent is completely dissolved.

At this point, if you do not already have everyone’s undivided attention, announce that it is show time. Slowly pour the glue mixture into the Borax mixture and see what happens. (You should always pour the glue mixture into the Borax and not reverse the process or the reaction may not work.) The instant the glue hits the Borax and water it will begin to gel. The children will be amazed at this semi-liquid “booger” you have made.

Now, it is time for the really fun part. Push up your sleeves and dig both hands into the space mud. Squish the space mud between your fingers and watch the pockets of liquid glue become rubbery. Continue to squish the space mud until almost all of the water has been absorbed. Lift out the space mud and knead it on a clean dry surface until it is no longer slimy.

At last the moment of truth has arrived. The children will most likely be sitting around the table waiting for you to give them a blob of this wonderful stuff. Space mud will stretch, tear, bounce, and jiggle. It is a great tool for helping very young children learn to use scissors because it is easy to cut. If left in one place, a portion of space mud will slowly spread into a puddle that resembles wet paint. I give the children cookie cutters, scissors, plastic pizza cutters, forks (for poking holes) and plastic knives to enjoy while playing with space mud. They always have a great time inventing new ways to impress each other.

Space mud will not stick to most dry surfaces. It does not crumble like salt dough so it seems to be less of a mess in my opinion. I always ensure the working area is free of crumbs and debris so the space mud stays clean. When sealed tightly in a plastic bag or container, space mud will keep indefinitely. However, I must give you a word of caution. If you do not tightly seal the plastic bag, the space mud may escape. On several occasions I have discovered that the space mud leaked out of the poorly sealed bag, spread across the table and pooled on the floor. Thankfully I was able to just lift up the runaway space mud and place it back in the bag. No residue was left behind and my hardwood floors were unharmed.

I have several adult friends who ask me for a sample of space mud to squeeze at their desk at work. My daycare parents almost always get caught up in the fun if the arrive to pick up their child when we are playing with space mud.

There you have it. Space mud is an interesting activity for all ages. Give it a try and you might just be amazed.