Ready for some mess? Make this goo called ooblek for messy birthday parties. It’s not only fun to mess around with, but can teach kids about the scientific properties of liquids and solids, too. Made with cornflour, ooblek acts as a solid if you punch it or hit it but if you move your fingers through it slowly then it’s a liquid.

Imagine the fun you could have if you put ooblek in a wading pool and ran extremely fast on top of it? The next child might choose to walk through the ooblek very slowly, and he would fall to the bottom.

To make ooblek, you’ll need:

• Even amounts of water and cornflour (ie, one cup of each)
• A large bowl
• Wooden spoon

How to make ooblek:

• Place cornflour in a bowl.
• Slowly add water and gently mix together with the spoon (you might need a little more flour or water to get the consistency you want)
• Finish mixing with your hands and get playing!