Make Christmas tree slime with the kids this winter, and then turn it into a counting activity with the free printable ornament calendar numbers.
I love that this activity combines sensory play, science, AND math. Your students will learn how to make slime before delving into the sensory experience of the tree slime.
On top of that, the ornament number cards encourage the children to explore counting, number identification, and one-to-one correspondence. Not bad for a slimy activity, right?!
Related: Christmas Activities for Preschoolers
I have to admit, I went back and forth on writing this post. And do you know why? The pictures! Yes, the pictures.
See, I made this Christmas tree slime with my son and some family friends’ kiddos a couple of years ago. We had a lot of fun making it while we were in the mountains for Thanksgiving.
But I didn’t take many photos . . . mostly because I had my hands in the slime almost as much as the kids did (and slimes and cameras don’t mix). And the few photos I did take weren’t all that great. I’m only a passable photographer, and sometimes I let not-so-great images keep me from sharing ideas here.
But I decided just to go for it. The kids and I had a blast with this activity, and I’m betting you will too!
Plus, there’s a nice set of printable Christmas number cards you can use. Be sure to grab your own set at the bottom of this post.
Related: Types of Slime from A to Z
Christmas Tree Slime
Now let’s jump into making some green slitter slime. I keep calling it Christmas tree slime, but you can really use it as any kind of tree.
So while it would be great coupled with your Christmas lesson plans, I think this slime would also be great when learning about evergreen trees or even a general tree theme.
Really, it’s up to you and the children! Maybe you’ll do something completely different with it. If so, be sure to tell me all about it in the comments below. I love hearing how people adapt the ideas they find here.
Green Tree Slime Ingredients
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You can use your favorite slime ingredients for this. Here’s what we used:
You’ll also want a bowl and something to stir the slime with. We used craft sticks to stir everything up this time around.
If you’ll use the Christmas tree slime as part of a counting, one-to-one correspondence activity, you’ll need some manipulatives. Here are some ideas:
- Pompoms
- Dyed pumpkin seeds (learn how to dye pumpkin seeds)
- Christmas light manipulatives
Green Slime Directions
As I mentioned earlier, you can definitely use your favorite slime recipe to make this Christmas tree slime. I know I have my own preferred methods. It’s really what you’re most comfortable with.
Read on for how we made this batch of glittery green slime.
Pour 5 ounces of clear glue into a bowl. Then add about 4 ounces of warm water to the glue. Be sure it’s warm water (not cold, and definitely don’t burn yourself with water that’s too hot). Mix it up well.
Related: Christmas Science Experiments
Next up, add in the fun stuff. We put a bunch of tree-shaped confetti into the bowl, along with a few shakes of extra-fine green glitter. Then it’s time to mix things together again.
After that, slowly add about 4 ounces of liquid starch. Make sure you’re stirring as you add the starch. Keep stirring until the slime starts to pull away from the bowl.
Finally, it’s time to knead the slime. Yes, just like you knead bread dough. This is what gets the slime to that perfect consistency – stretchy but not sticky. Keep kneading until you’re happy with how your slime feels. This usually takes me 3 to 4 minutes.
Once it’s how you like it, it’s time to play and learn with the slime!
Christmas Tree Slime Math Activity
The boys spent a lot of time playing and stretching the green glitter slime. They had fun seeing if the slime stretched as tall as each of them. In case you’re wondering, yes it stretched taller than the boys!
Related: Pumpkin Seed Christmas Tree Art
I also used the Christmas slime as the basis for a math activity later on. I paired it with some ornament number cards (you can get your own set at the bottom of this post).
If you’re planning to do the same, download the number cards and print them out. I highly recommend laminating the number cards. This makes it easier to clean the slime off.
After the number cards are prepped, get the slime ready. I put the slime into a tree-shaped pan (mostly because I thought it would look fun like that). You can just leave it out on a tray or a mat if that’s easier for you.
Place the number cards out near the slime, along with whatever manipulatives you’d like to use. We went with sparkly pompoms this time around.
Related: Winter Calendar Numbers
Have the kids draw a random number card and place it by the Christmas tree slime. Then the children can identify the number and add the appropriate number of “decorations” to the tree slime.
Encourage the kids to touch and count the manipulatives to double-check themselves. The children can work on this independently, in pairs, or in small groups. Either way, make sure there’s an adult nearby to keep an eye on things.
Alternative Ideas
You can use the Christmas tree slime in a lot of different ways. That’s one of the things I like about slime – you can do so many different activities with it.
Of course the children can focus in on exploring and playing with the slime on its own. You can add some tools and manipulatives to the play – scissors, tongs, cookie cutters, etc.
You can also create a “decorate your own Christmas tree” slime invitation. Add pompoms, buttons, mini erasers, bits of ribbon, and anything else you have on-hand that would make good decorations. The children can make tree shapes with the slime, adding the decorations as they’d like.
Consider pairing the slime with styrofoam cones, too! The kids can pour the slime on top of the cones to create three-dimensional slime trees. I know a lot of kids who would LOVE that process! Then let the kids decorate the 3D trees too.
Those are just a few additional ideas for your Christmas tree slime. How would you and your students use it?
Done-For-You Preschool Resources
Preschool teachers have a lot on their plates, even more so during the holidays. Let Preschool Teacher 101 help with fully fleshed out lesson plans, math activities, digital lessons, and more.
Click on the images below for more information about each resource. Be sure to join our membership wait list, too!
Free Printable Christmas Number Cards
These printable numbers are available to members of Fun-A-Day’s free email community. If you’re a member, enter your information in the form below and the cards will be sent to your email.
If you’re not a member, that’s okay! You can join our email community by entering your email in the form below. You’ll receive the number cards as a welcome gift.
Be sure to download the Christmas numbers to your computer. They’re perfect with homemade Christmas tree slime, but you can also use them on their own!
If you can’t see the form above, click here to access it.
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