Tuff Tray Ideas: sand and slime dinosaur world
Now I would love to take credit for this dinosaur world, but it was all the Bear. Both my children are pretty creative so when either of them comes to me and says that they want to make something, I am pretty indulgent and on a whole – unless they ask for help – I leave them to it.
So, when she said she was making a dinosaur world it was no big surprise as she is always making something, and I was soon relegated to fetching supplies for her.
WHAT TO MAKE IT ON
First up was the foundation. We tried to fob her off with a normal plastic dinner tray but apparently it needed to be bigger. MUCH bigger. So – as the weather was starting to turn – we dragged the tuff tray into the conservatory.
If you don’t have a tuff tray though you could flatten out some plastic bin bags and use that as your foundation to build on.
BUILDING UP OUR DINOSAUR WORLD
Next, were demands for sand. This isn’t unusual so I dutifully filled up a couple buckets with sand from the sand pit and popped it on the tray.
Next up came a request for this blue slime. This got me really curious as to what they were planning to do, but apparently it was a surprise.
OUR SLIME RECIPE
The slime I tend to make most is part slime and part oobleck. It’s sticky, gooey, fun to play with but incredibly easy to clean which keeps us all happy! Here is how to make it.
- 1 cup of corn flour
- 1/2 cup of washing up liquid (clear if possible)
- a few drops of food colouring
Mix and mix (and mix!). If it’s too dry you may need to add a little water, but it will depend on how much (if any!) food colouring you have added to the mixture.
Now you will notice that this slime has an odd texture, this is because oobleck can mimic both liquid and solid form. Push it and it feels like solid, but let it relax and it will fall through your fingers like liquid. So much fun!
THE FINISHING TOUCHES TO YOUR WORLD
Said oobleck slime was then added to pits that had been created with sand and you had and instant watering hole for your dinosaur world. At this stage I was incredibly impressed with her imagination as I am not sure I could have built a better dinosaur world for them.
Apparently, no dinosaur world is complete without a volcano. So, we fashioned one out of some scrap cardboard and tissue paper. I admit it is a little crude but apparantly it’s perfect for the pterodactyl who lives there (who knew eh ?!)
Finally, we added trees made from branches and weeds from the garden and their dinosaur world was complete. What we were left with is a dinosaur world that the kids have been playing with for two days straight!
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