Let me tell you about Cornflour Gloop

[The Nappy Lady]

If you haven't discovered it already...

Mix together water & Cornflour in equal measure (ish, need not be too exact) in a big bowl & let your children dig in.

The mix creates a strange substance, neither solid nor liquid but somewhere in-between.

You can lift a lump up & mould it in your hands then watch it turn to liquid & run out if your hands.

Most bizarre, the children love it.

It sounds messy but actually washes off clothes & children very easily. I often have it in the garden when the paddling pool is out as a good combo.

The Science Museum people told be the proper name for it - a non nemonic substance I think....something like that - goldfish memory has struck again!

Any other top tips for fun play sessions?

[buggie]

Think that's the mixture that if you try to splash/hit it it turns solid doesn't it?

Pouring mentos sweets into a bottle of coke has a pretty dramatic effect (one for the bottom of the garden!) lots of videos demonstrating are available on you tube!

[Kes]

I remember doing this at school with custard powder and once seeing a video of a man walk across a swimming pool filled with custard (made thicker than you normally would I think!)

[supergolden88]

The cornflower goop can be coloured with food colouring and is edible too should a baby/toddler decide to eat some (and lets face it most do).

And here how to make your own play doh

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Playdough-Play-doh/

[gwod]

...and it does this too.....!

[The Nappy Lady]

OMG gwod that is freaky!

Non-Newtonian liquid - there you go - great stuff! They have it at toddler group sometimes, definitely OK around little ones & truly hard to resist playing with.