Craft Activities for Adults with I/DD: Glow in the Dark Bouncy Balls

Craft Activities for Adults with I/DD: Glow in the Dark Bouncy Balls

Homemade bouncy balls that glow in the dark are both awesome and easy to make with a few regular ingredients. It’s part science, part craft, and it also leaves you with a usable result. They’re fairly bouncy, but not quite as bouncy as store-bought bouncy balls. But, the fact that they don’t have the ability to bounce off of multiple objects in the house is probably a plus.

For each glow-in-the-dark bouncy ball, you will need:

• 1/2 tsp of borax (borax is not meant for consumption)
• 4 tbsp of corn starch
• 4 tbsp of warm water
• 1 tbsp white school glue
• 1 tsp of glow paint

How to make glow-in-the-dark bouncy balls:

1. Add the borax, corn starch, and 4 tablespoons of water to a small bowl.
2. Mix all ingredients until they are completely combined.
3. In a separate small bowl, mix the school glue and the glowing paint.
4. Mix until the glue and paint are fully incorporated.
5. Combine the two mixes you’ve made into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
6. Let the ingredients react together for 1-2 minutes and then begin mixing. 
7. Once all the ingredients are completely combined, you should have a tough yet slimy texture.
8. Next, take your mixture out of the bowl and knead together in your hands.
9. Once the material is kneaded, it will become drier but still malleable.
10. Next, scrunch it up into a ball shape and keep rolling between your hands until it’s as round as possible.

Note: You can make different colors of slime and knead/pull them together to make them look like planets. See the picture below for reference.