Slime, Science, and Smiles: A Goo-tastic Girls in STEM Finale!

The final Girls in STEM Club session of the year at the Discovery Science and Technology Centre was equal parts exciting, educational, and wonderfully messy!  The theme of the day was slime, and the girls dove right in, eager to create the most spectacular goo possible.  They learned that slime is a stretchy, squishy substance and can be made from a simple mix of glue, water, and an activator, but the results can be anything but simple.  From fluffy and glossy to crunchy, clear, or glittery, the possibilities were endless.

The first challenge was to experiment with different slime consistencies, ranging from perfectly runny to satisfyingly putty-like.  Laughter quickly filled the room as unexpected textures emerged.  Some girls even discovered how to make “monster hands,” stretching webs of slime between their fingers like frog feet or duck paddles.  With colourful food dye and sparkly glitter added to the mix, the creations became miniature works of gooey art.  Each masterpiece was proudly packed into containers to take home, souvenirs of scientific success.

Next, the girls explored the strange and fascinating world of non-Newtonian fluids, materials that behave differently under pressure.  With nothing more than cornflour and water, they created a mixture that flowed like liquid when left alone, but turned solid when squeezed.  To put it to the test, the group played a lively game of “hot potato”, tossing chunks of the mixture without letting it crumble mid-air.

The session wrapped up with laughter, amazement, and the shared realisation that STEM isn not just educational, it is brilliantly fun!