If your kids are anything like mine, they are all in with the slime craze! They love mixing and testing different ingredients to make new slime and sensory stuff. We’ve gone through a lot of glue and activator in our home, but when it runs out, my kids still seem to find a way to make slime. Sometimes this slime is even better than the standard one made with glue and activator. The latest creation used toothpaste as the base, and it’s a really interesting feeling clay slime. Keep reading to find out how to make slime without activator or glue!

I am happy to have my kids experiment and play around with different materials. Often their experiments simply lead to a mess, but sometimes they work and they get a great new slime to play with. Even when it doesn’t work, they still have fun exploring and playing around. It’s great screen-free fun!

For this slime recipe you only need cornstarch and toothpaste. It’s inexpensive and easy to make. As with any experiment where kids are mixing ingredients, make sure to supervise and that kids know what household materials are safe to mix. Safety first!

If you have extra cornstarch after making this toothpaste slime, make sure to check out my kids original slime recipe that uses cornstarch and shaving cream. It’s almost like a fluffy clay slime that’s smooth and as much fun to make as it is to then play with. There’s a free recipe included for this slime as well.

How to Make Slime Without Activator

Slime Ingredients

This slime is a clay slime. It’s not oozy or sticky. I think that it is a mix between playdough and slime. However you want to describe it, it is definitely smooth and fun to play with. It keeps its shape more than regular slime and doesn’t require any glue or activator. I love using materials that I already have on hand that are no expensive.

Follow the steps below for how to make this toothpaste clay slime.

You will need the following for your slime:

• Toothpaste
• Cornstarch
• Water
• Food Coloring (Optional)

You can use basically any toothpaste that you have on hand. As with most slimes, you will need to play around with the ingredients a bit as you mix them. Some mixtures may require a few extra drops of water, whereas others may need more cornstarch to make it drier. Half the fun is mixing and testing, so use the recipe as a guideline, but alter it as needed.

Make Your Own Clay Slime – Steps

Although making slime can be a bit messy, letting kids get their hands messy and make the slime on their own is half the fun for this activity. If some children don’t like the feel of the slime as it is being mixed, they can use a spoon or even a popsicle stick. Once it is fully mixed, the material isn’t sticky or goopy. You’ll create a smooth, squishy material that’s fun to play with for hours.

Start by mixing 4 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of toothpaste. Mix well. This mixture will be a bit crumbly. Once it is fully mixed, add 1/2 teaspoon of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

Depending on what kind and color of toothpaste you used, your slime may already have some color. However, you can add a few drops of food coloring to change the color of your slime. Your slime will likely have a nice minty smell.

If your mixture is too wet, add more cornstarch. If it’s too dry add some water or toothpaste.

Once, it is all mixed, you can play with your toothpaste clay slime. When you’re done, make sure to store it in an airtight container, or something like a resealable plastic bag. The slime is not edible, but it uses ingredients, like toothpaste, that we use on a regular basis and are safe. This is especially great for kids.

How to Make Slime Without Activator

Since this slime is more like clay, it will hold it’s shape and you can play with it almost like a soft, squishy dough. Cookie cutters work well and you can cut and watch as the slime slowly soften back to its original shape. It’s its own unique texture that is a great sensory experience for kids of all ages.

Since I used blue toothpaste, my slime was blue in color. However, you can add a few drops of food coloring to change the color. Try adding red coloring to the blue slime to make a beautiful purple slime. It’s fun for kids to watch the colors swirl and mix, but be mindful that it can stain hands.

Have fun with your slime and keep adding to your mixture as you choose. You can even make a few balls of the clay slime and then mix them together for a whole new color. Slime is great for kids to play with and make.

I hope that you have as much fun with this sensory activity as we did! If you love the feel of the clay slime and want to try creating even more with actual clay, check out this collection of 33 Easy Clay Animals and Clay Crafts.

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