Katie Taylor, CCLS, Child Life on Call

Let’s talk SLIME. I’m a HUGE fan and think that it can be used in a variety of ways for Child Life Specialists:

• Patients seeking sensory play
• Therapeutic Play
• Medical Play (congestion, anyone?!)
• Playroom Activity
• Esteem Building
• Rapport Building
• The list goes on and on!

Unfortunately, as much as I love slime, I hate that I can’t always use it because of the amount of time it takes to gather materials, set up, and clean up. Sometimes I just need it NOW. And although I love the benefits of providing kiddos and siblings with the autonomy and mastery that comes with making your own slime, there are benefits to having pre-made slime ready to go.

SmileMakers offers several different types of Slime with different textures and containers that could be appropriate for many different situations. Whether you want a reusable container, or a one-time use (ED!), iridescent or glittery, there are plenty of options to choose from.

My favorite slimy activity is making Slime-Filled Stress Balls with Gloves. I used to only do this activity at the bedside or in the playroom, but because of SmileMakers huge slime selection, I’m able to use this in the emergency or outpatient setting as well. Since I don’t need the time to actually make the slime, I can use these pre-made slimes for an actual therapeutic/medical intervention.

This simple activity could work for younger kiddos 2 and up (as long as an adult is present to supervise). The best things about this activity is that clean-up is super easy, and the gloves are something the patient can use throughout their hospitalization and take home when they are discharged to continue to use when they need reassurance or control.

Here’s a quick How To:

First, let the child pick which slime they’re going to use. Promote control by letting them pick the containers, colors, and textures of each.

Second, drop the oozy slime into a medical glove. I prefer to use 2-3 containers of slime to give it just the right amount of squeeze-ability.

Third, tie the glove at the bottom.

Fourth, SQUEEZE and PLAY!

This activity is the perfect way to start discussions around coping skills. Can you squeeze and take a deep breath at the same time? Do you like doing it at different times? If you could hold someone's hand that isn’t in the hospital with you, whose hand could we pretend this is?

Try this easy and fun activity with your patients and let me know how you are using slime and glove stress balls!