How to Make a Bouncy Ball (Without Borax)

Co-authored by Hannah Madden

Bouncy balls are a fun craft that almost anyone can do with ingredients you have in your home. Most bouncy balls are made with Borax, but it is dangerous to ingest and can irritate your skin. To make a bouncy ball without using Borax, you can use baking soda, glue, water, and food coloring or cornstarch, water, and food coloring. Simply combine your ingredients to make a bouncy toy that you can play with at home.

Ingredients

Making a Bouncy Ball with Baking Soda

¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) of baking soda
2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of water
3 tablespoons (28 g) of school glue
1 drop of food coloring

Makes 1 bouncy ball

Using Cornstarch for Your Bouncy Ball

2 tablespoons (15 g) of cornstarch
¹⁄₈ cup (30 mL) of water
1 drop of food coloring

Makes 1 bouncy ball

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making a Bouncy Ball with Baking Soda

1
Put ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) of baking soda in a plastic container. Baking soda is the base for your bouncy ball. Put your baking soda in a plastic container. Your mixture won’t stick to plastic so it will be easier to clean.^{[1]
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2
Add 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of water to your baking soda and mix well. Water works to dissolve the baking soda and make it into a paste. Mix up your baking soda and water with a wooden craft stick or a small spoon until it is thick.^{[2]
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- Add a few more drops of water to your mixture if it is not dissolving well.
Tip: You can use 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of saline mixture instead of water to make sure your bouncy ball isn’t sticky.

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3
Squeeze about 3 tablespoons (28 g) of school glue in a plastic container. Pour enough white school glue to cover the bottom of a separate, medium-sized plastic container. You do not have to measure your glue precisely.^{[3]
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- If you don’t have school glue, you can use silicone instead. Silicone can be found at most hardware stores.
4
Add 1 drop of food coloring to your glue. Choose whatever color of food coloring you’d like your ball to be. Pour 1 drop of food coloring into your glue and use a wooden craft stick to stir it together. Make sure there isn’t any white left in your mixture.^{[4]
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- Add 2 more drops of food coloring if you want your bouncy ball to be darker.
- Add glitter to your glue if you want your bouncy ball to be shiny.
5
Stir your water and baking soda mix into the glue. Pour your water and baking soda mix into the glue. Use a wooden craft stick or a metal spoon to mix them together thoroughly for about 5 minutes. You can use your hands to mix if it is easier.^{[5]
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- Your mixture will start to get sticky as you mix it together.
6
Mold your mixture into a ball shape. Pick up your mixture with your hands and use your fingers to roll your mix into the shape of a ball. Use the palms of your hands to shape your mixture and the tips of your fingers to smooth it out. Make sure there aren’t any cracks or lines in your bouncy ball.^{[6]
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- If you are having trouble getting your mixture into a ball shape, add a small round object in the middle, like a marble or a pebble, to mold around it.
- If you want your bouncy ball to light up, add a plastic LED light to the center of your mixture.
7
Let your bouncy ball dry for 24 hours. Leave your bouncy ball uncovered on a flat surface, like a table or countertop. Make sure it won’t get bumped or dropped. Leave it in the same spot for about 1 day, or until it is hard. Enjoy your new bouncy ball!^{[7]
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Tip: If you want to reshape your bouncy ball, dab a few drops of water onto it and mold it with your fingers.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using Cornstarch for Your Bouncy Ball

1
Put 2 tablespoons (15 g) of cornstarch into a plastic container. Choose a container that is microwave safe. Cornstarch will be the base for your bouncy ball and give it the right texture so that it can stick together.^{[8]
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- You can also use a plastic resealable bag.
2
Add ¹⁄₈ cup (30 mL) of water to the cornstarch and mix well. The water will make the cornstarch into a paste. Add your water and stir the cornstarch into it until it is a sticky consistency. Use a metal spoon or a wooden craft stick.^{[9]
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Mix in 1 drop of food coloring. Choose whatever color of food coloring you’d like. Add 1 drop of it to your mixture and stir it in well. Make sure the color is spread all throughout your mixture evenly.^{[10]
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- If you don’t add food coloring, your bouncy ball will just be white.
4
Microwave your mixture for 30 seconds and let it cool. Adding heat to your ingredients will bond them together. Put your mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds. Let it cool for about 2 minutes before you touch it.^{[11]
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Warning: Your mixture will be very hot when it comes out of the microwave. If you try to touch it right away, you could burn your hands.
5
Form your mixture into a ball. Use the palms of your hands to roll your dough into a ball shape. Flatten out any lumps or cracks with the tips of your fingers.^{[12]
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- If your bouncy ball isn’t perfectly circular, it will still bounce, but it might fly off in different directions.
6
Let your bouncy ball dry for at least 10 hours. Leave your bouncy ball on a table or countertop where it won’t get bumped around. Let it dry for at least 10 hours without touching it. Before you use it, touch it with your fingers to see if it is hard.^{[13]
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- These bouncy balls will eventually break down and biodegrade. You can throw them in your compost or yard debris bin when you are done with them.

Community Q&A

Question

"One tablespoon" of what?

Community Answer

It's a typo -- you need one tablespoon plus one teaspoon of water. You also need another 1.5 teaspoons of water later on.
Question

What do I do if it breaks or crack a few days later?

Community Answer

Just put a little more water on it so you can reshape it, then redo the microwave tip.
Question

Can I use flour instead of cornstarch?

Community Answer

Yes, you can. The consistency will be less smooth when it is molded, but it will bounce some.