How to make edible slime
Recipes

How to Make Edible Slime with Your Favorite Candy


If you’re the parent of an elementary-age kid, you’re probably aware of the slime craze. And it’s no surprise that this sticky, messy, ooey-gooey creation fascinates children – what child doesn’t love getting their hands a little dirty and playing with something that seems like it came from a mad scientists’ lab?

Making homemade slime isn’t just a great way to keep the kids busy on a rainy day. It’s also a perfect way to tap into the educational benefits of sensory play, and can even mimic the mental and emotional effects of mindfulness practices. That’s great for busy parents and kids alike!

Fun with a (Sweet) Twist

What’s better than a fun, messy activity to engage your kids’ brains and creativity? One that ends in a sweet treat! So if the other benefits of homemade slime aren’t enough to convince you, maybe the following recipes for edible slime made from your kids’ favorite candies will be.

Read on to learn why kids love slime, plus how to make edible slime at home.

The Benefits of Sensory Play

Sensory play is an important aspect of learning for kids of all ages. It includes anything that engages children’s five senses, as well as movement and balance.

Most babies, toddlers, and very young children do this naturally, from free-playing with colorful toys and musical instruments to exploring the natural world around them. But activities like making slime are great for kids in the 8 to 12 range, too. Making edible slime engages kids’ creativity and planning skills, and encourages practices like investigation, observation, and forming hypotheses that are crucial to the scientific method.

But learning how to make edible slime does more than just exercise your child’s intellect. Research shows that making and playing with slime can mimic the calming effects of mindfulness practices, which helps bring our attention and focus on the present. This not only helps your kids manage the stress of juggling school, extracurricular activities, and friendships and social issues but also gives you a break from your own hectic life while bringing you and your child together for a fun, constructive bonding experience.

How to Make Edible Slime

There are plenty of non-toxic slime recipes online that you can experiment with and throw away when you’re done. But in this blog, we’ve gathered five candy-based edible slime recipes that aren’t just safe to play with, but safe (and sweet) to gobble up once you’re done.

1. Starburst Slime

starburst candy slime

If you or your kids love Starburst, this is the edible slime recipe for you. This super easy recipe from Teach Beside Me makes perfect use of the gooey texture and bright colors of Starburst to create a wonderfully stretchy slime you’ll be excited to play with AND eat.

What You’ll Need for Starburst Slime

  • 1 Bag of Starburst Candies
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Cornstarch 

Get the full recipe at Teach Beside Me.

2. Gummy Bear Slime

gummy bears for edible slime

There’s no one way to make slime, and different recipes can offer different textures to compare and contrast – another great learning activity for the kids. Plus, it’s an excuse for more candy!

For a thicker, tackier slime, try the gummy bear slime recipe from In the Kids Kitchen. It’s not necessarily as “slimy” as other edible slime, but it is super easy and super delicious.

Ingredients for Gummy Bear Slime

  • 1 cup gummy bears
  • 2 Tablespoons icing sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil, optional

Get the instructions from the In the Kids Kitchen blog!

3. Sour Patch Slime

This is another easy recipe from Teach Beside Me, and it’s perfect for anyone who loves sour candy. Get ready for sticky, sour slime in bright technicolor. As with many of these recipes, you can keep the colors separate, or combine colors to create a rainbow slime.

All you need for this edible slime are Sour Patch, bowls to separate candies by color, a microwave, and some cooking oil to spread out on your slime surface.

Get the rest of the recipe from Teach Beside Me. And if you really can’t get enough of gummies, try out a similar recipe for Swedish Fish slime!

4. Candy Corn Slime

candy corn for candy slime

Need a way to get rid of all that extra candy corn after Halloween? There’s no better way than with a slimy science experiment! The slime pros at In the Kids Kitchen have concocted a candy-corn-and-marshmallow slime just for that purpose.

Ingredients for Candy Corn Slime

  • 1 cup candy corn
  • 1 1/2 cups marshmallows
  • 1-2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, as needed

Get the full recipe (plus a helpful video) at In the Kids Kitchen.

5. Chocolate Slime

Can’t forget about the chocolate-lovers out there. For another sticky, gooey slime that’s similar to marshmallow slime, the chocolate slime from Teach Beside Me is the perfect choice.

While this recipe requires a few more ingredients and steps than some of the others, it’s super sweet and super fun to play with. It can be a great learning experience for older kids who love to get messy in the kitchen.

What You’ll Need

  • 1 can of Sweetened & Condensed Milk
  • 3 Tablespoons of Chocolate Syrup
  • Cornstarch
  • Chocolate Chips (extra mix-in)

Get the full recipe from Teach Beside Me.

candy slime

Helpful Kitchen Tools for Edible Slime

Most edible slime recipes require some basic stovetop or microwave cooking, and you’ll probably be working on a flat surface to spread, assemble, and play with the slime. You may want to gather some of the following tools:

  • Microwave
  • Microwave-safe bowls
  • Cutting board
  • Measuring cups or spoons
  • Pots and/or double boilers

Looking for more ways to use candy in the kitchen, have fun with the kids, or both? The fun doesn’t have to end now that your kids know how to make edible slime. Whether it’s during the long summer break or just a day off from school, there are plenty of ways to keep the kids busy and get creative with their favorite candy. Check out our blog today to learn more!