We love slime recipes, and we love mermaids. That is how the idea for this fun mermaid slime was born. Learn how to make mermaid slime below!
For this recipe, we used a slightly modified version of our regular liquid laundry starch slime to make a thicker texture that was easier to use with toys.
If you want to learn how to make mermaid glitter slime, keep on reading!
Mermaid Slime Instructions
We made these modifications to a traditional slime recipe because we thought the slightly thicker slime looked and felt just like what we imagined a mermaid’s tail would look and feel like.
The glitter flakes become the “scales” of the mermaid and it was so much fun playing with this slime!
In our second version, we omitted the glitter, and included tiny fish scale beads, to make crunchy mermaid slime!
As an added bonus, the thicker slime is also a lot less messy.
My kids had fun not only playing with the basic slime, but we also used mermaid erasers to play in it and my daughters decided to transform the slime into a real mermaid tail for their barbies.
You’ll also want to check out the ultimate list of summer STEM activities and the ultimate list of summer science experiments.
Find out how to make your own mermaid slime recipe!
Fix Problems with Glue and Starch Slime
If your slime isn’t working, this could be why!
Why is My Slime Sticky?
Sticky slime usually means you don’t have enough activator. Try adding a bit more.
If that doens’t work, you may need to add something dry, like cornstarch, to help reduce how sticky your slime is. I like to add either cornstarch or shaving cream to eliminate stickiness.
Why is My Slime Watery?
Watery slime usually means you messed up the ratio, but it’s usually completely fixable. If your slime is too watery, try this:
- Add more activator. It could be you just didn’t add enough activator!
- Pour off excess liquid. It could be that you added too much water or activator and need to pour off some access.
If that doesn’t work, try adding a bit more glue.
Check out the full list of summer slime recipes!
On to the mermaid slime recipe!
Read on to see how to make the very best mermaid slime! And don’t forget to try our other summer slime recipes: ocean slime, sand slime, beach slime, and tie dye slime.
Mermaid Slime Science
Slime is made when boron mixes with the polymer chains in the glue, creating strong, but flexible bonds between the molecules.
There are so many fun tweaks you can make to a basic slime recipe, like my kid’s favorite, fluffy slime!
Since this slime does contain borax, if you have a sensitivity to it, you may want to try our baking soda slime instead.
DON’T MISS: THE ULTIMATE LIST OF SLIME RECIPES!
Get the ocean science bundle to go along with your mermaid slime!
Mermaid Slime Troubleshooting
If this is your first time making slime, you should follow along with our post on slime troubleshooting. Luckily,liquid laundry starch slime made with clear glue is the easiest slime recipe.
If you don’t want to waste a lot of ingredients, try mixing up a small batch first to make sure you won’t have to tweak it before you make the larger version.
We always stock up on gallon sizes of glue and the large laundry starch just in case something goes wrong (but it almost always goes smoothly).
How to make a barbie mermaid tail
You can make a mermaid tail for a barbie from almost anything, but we used slime for ours!
To make the slime mermaid tail for a barbie, simply wrap the slime around the barbie’s legs to make a mermaid tail shape, and you have your own mermaid slime barbie.
DIY Mermaid Slime
Follow these directions to make DIY mermaid slime.
What you’ll need to make the best mermaid slime recipe:
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Elmer’s Liquid School Glue, Premium Clear, Washable, 1 Gallon, 1 Count – Great For Making SlimeFood Coloring Liqua-Gel – 6 Color Rainbow Kit in .75 fl. oz. (20ml) BottlesPurex Sta-Flo Liquid Starch, 64 OunceOriginal Stationery Arts and Crafts Glitter Shake Jars, Extra Fine, 24 Multi color Set
- Liquid laundry starch
- Pink glitter
- Blue glitter
- White glitter
- Elmer’s clear glue or white glue
- Mermaid toys (ours came from Target, but these are similar)
- Glass beads
Making Little Mermaid Slime
Kids will love this slightly thicker version of slime that is ideal for using with toys and is almost completely mess-free (as long as you keep it away from fabric).
Mix a bottle of clear glue (which is about five ounces) with slightly less than half a cup of water. This is what gives the slime a bit more structure, leaving it more “fish-like.”
Dump in quite a bit of blue, pink, and white glitter and mix.
The three colors of glitter will mix together and reflect off one another, creating a sort of incandescent purple color that looks quite similar to a fish’s scales.
The texture of the glitter also adds to the effect.
Add 1/2 a cup of liquid laundry starch to the mixture and stir. Like all laundry starch slime, it takes a little while for the ingredients to completely mix.
At first, it will be super sticky, but after about five minutes, it will be smooth to the touch and won’t stick to anything at all.
My kids love stretching and playing with slime, but they are also in a mermaid eraser phase.
My kids used their slime with our mini mermaid erasers.
Then, they had the idea to give their barbies real mermaid tails with the slime.
This would never have worked with regular slime, but because this version is thicker, the slime became the perfect mermaid tail for Barbie.
Crunchy Mermaid Slime
To make the crunchy mermaid slime, use glass beads instead of glitter.
Use two pearl colors, purple and green to make your mermaid tail slime.
You can use the same ratio of slime to laundry starch when mixing.
Add the beads when mixing the color in if you use powdered color, or add it after the slime has formed if you use liquid food coloring.
So many fun ways to play with this mermaid slime!
More Fun Mermaid Activities
Crazy-Fun Mermaid Science Experiments Perfect for Summer!
