Make a DIY Super Bouncy Ball

NOTE: Because this DIY uses Borax, we recommend you don’t use this recipe with younger kiddos who may be tempted to rub their eyes or taste test while making. You can find a borax-free alternative below! Adult supervision is recommended whenever kids are in the kitchen or mixing ingredients.

How to Make a Bouncy Ball – DIY Instructions

A Borax-Free Bouncy Ball Recipe Alternative

Just a note: these borax-free bouncy balls just don’t seem to be quite as bouncy as the original version. The recipe creates something more similar to silly putty, and it can be molded into a ball that has a *little* bounce, but it just doesn’t produce the same results. It’s still fun to mix up, and since this recipe is catered to little ones, the bounce is just a small part of the fun.

This recipe is also perfect for discussing viscosity and how different fluids behave under stress.

For this cornstarch and glue alternative recipe you’ll need:

• 2 tablespoons school glue, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, food coloring (optional)

1. Mix Ingredients: Combine 2 tablespoons of school glue with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired.
2. Knead the Mixture: Mix thoroughly until it forms a sticky dough. Knead the dough until it becomes less sticky and more solid.
3. Shape the Ball: Roll the dough in your hands to form a small ball. Allow it to dry slightly for a firmer texture. For this cornstarch and glue recipe, thorough kneading can really help achieve the right texture.

Homemade Bouncy Balls – A Scientific Explanation

Each recipe illustrates basic chemical reactions.

• Borax Recipe: The reaction between the polymer in the glue and the borax creates a cross-linked polymer network, making it stretchy and bouncy.
• Cornstarch and Glue Recipe: This combination creates a non-Newtonian fluid, exhibiting properties of both a solid and a liquid, which affects its bounciness.

In-Depth Scientific Exploration

Borax Recipe: The Chemistry of Cross-Linking Polymers

• Polymers in Glue: The glue contains a polymer called polyvinyl acetate, which gives it its sticky and fluid nature.
• Role of Borax: Borax acts as a cross-linker, linking the polymer chains together. This cross-linking changes the physical properties of the glue, making it more solid and elastic.
• Science Behind Bounciness: The cross-linked polymers can deform and then return to their original shape, which is what gives the ball its bounce.

Cornstarch and Glue Recipe: Non-Newtonian Fluids

• Properties of Cornstarch and Glue Mixture: This mixture behaves differently under various conditions – acting like a solid when pressure is applied, but flowing like a liquid when at rest.
• Understanding Non-Newtonian Fluids: This behavior is typical of non-Newtonian fluids, which don’t follow Newton’s law of viscosity, meaning their viscosity changes under stress.

DIY Bouncy Ball Troubleshooting Tips

If the Bouncy Ball Isn’t Forming Properly…

• Check Measurements: Ensure all measurements are accurate. Small deviations can significantly affect the outcome.
• Adjust Liquid Content: If the mixture is too dry, add a little more liquid (water or glue) to achieve the right consistency. If it’s too wet, add a bit more of the dry ingredients (cornstarch or baking soda).

If the Bouncy Ball Gets Misshapen…

• Knead with Water: Empty a teaspoon of warm water into your hand and knead into your bouncy ball. The tiny amount of liquid mixed with the heat of your hands should make it fairly easy to reshape.
• Store in a Small Container with a Rounded Bottom: This type of container will help your bouncy ball hold it’s shape. Sounds easy enough, but where do you find one? I made a quick “bouncy ball holder” by pushing a kneaded eraser into the top of a small plastic bottle lid. I molded it into a concave circle that we can pop our bouncy ball in so it doesn’t flatten while sitting.

STEAM-Inspired Bouncy Ball Experiments

Here are a few simple yet educational experiments kids can set up with their homemade bouncy balls. These activities are great for teaching basic principles of physics and encouraging scientific observation and measurement…

Experiment 1: Bounce Height Comparison

Objective

To compare the bounce heights of different homemade bouncy balls.

Learning Outcome

Kids learn about energy conservation and how different materials absorb and release energy.

Materials

• Homemade bouncy balls (various types)
• Large piece of paper or poster board
• Tape
• Marker
• Ruler or measuring tape

Procedure

1. Setup: Attach the paper or poster board to a wall. Make sure it’s smooth and vertical.
2. Marking Initial Points: Using the marker, draw a horizontal line at the height from which you’ll drop the balls (e.g., 1 meter from the ground).
3. Testing Bounces: Drop each ball from the marked height and observe where it hits the paper.
4. Marking Bounce Heights: Mark the point on the paper where each ball reaches its highest point after the bounce.
5. Measurement and Comparison: Measure the distance from the ground to each mark. Compare and discuss the differences.

Experiment 2: Surface Impact on Bounce

Objective

To investigate how different surfaces affect the bounce of the balls.

Learning Outcome

This experiment teaches kids about how surface texture and material hardness impact the energy transfer during the bounce of a ball.

Materials

• Homemade bouncy balls
• Various surfaces (carpet, wood, tile, etc.)
• Tape measure

Procedure

1. Select Surfaces: Choose different types of surfaces for the experiment.
2. Consistent Drop Height: Drop the ball from the same height on each surface.
3. Measure Bounce Height: Measure how high the ball bounces off each surface.
4. Record and Compare: Record the measurements and compare how each surface affected the bounce height.

Experiment 3: Effect of Temperature on Bounciness

Objective

To explore how temperature changes affect the bounciness of the homemade balls.

Learning Outcome

Children will understand how temperature can affect the properties of materials, in this case, the elasticity of their bouncy balls.

Materials

• Homemade bouncy balls
• Refrigerator and/or bowl of warm water
• Thermometer (optional)
• Ruler or measuring tape

Procedure

1. Temperature Variation: Place a bouncy ball in the refrigerator for an hour and another in warm water.
2. Control Ball: Keep one ball at room temperature as a control.
3. Measure Bounce Height: After exposing the balls to different temperatures, bounce them from a consistent height and measure how high they bounce.
4. Observation and Recording: Record the measurements and note the differences in bounciness.

Experiment 4: Weight and Bounce Correlation

Objective

To determine if changing the weight of the bouncy balls affects how high they bounce.

Learning Outcome

This experiment teaches the principles of mass, gravity, and kinetic energy, showing how weight can influence the behavior of a bouncing object.

Materials

• Homemade bouncy balls of varying sizes/weights
• Scale (for weighing the balls)
• Ruler or measuring tape

Procedure

1. Weigh Each Ball: Use the scale to record the weight of each ball.
2. Consistent Drop Height: Drop each ball from the same height.
3. Measure Bounce Height: Measure and record the height of each bounce.
4. Analyze Data: Compare the bounce heights relative to the weight of each ball.