How to Make Floam

Co-authored by Amber Crain

Floam is a type of putty-like substance used as a modeling clay. It has an unusual texture because of the tiny foam balls that make the substance pliable. Kids enjoy playing with the gooey mixture, which can be molded, twisted, rolled and pressed. Although it is readily purchased in toy stores, you can save money and create unique custom colors by making floam in your own kitchen.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Classic Floam

1
Gather your materials and prepare your work area. You will need water, borax, white all-purpose glue, food coloring, polystyrene beads, a teaspoon, a mixing bowl, a cup, and a plastic zipper storage bag. Protect your work surface with a layer of newspaper or an old tablecloth.
- Polystyrene (also called styrofoam) beads can be found at most craft stores and hobby shops. They are often used as the filling for bean bag chairs and certain types of pillows^{[1]
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- If you don't want to spend extra money buying polystyrene beads, you can make your own out of block styrofoam. Simply shred the block using a cheese grater.^{[2]
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2
Dissolve two teaspoons of borax in half a cup of water. Measure two teaspoons of borax and add to the cup. Pour half a cup of water into the cup. Stir until the borax is well-dissolved. Set the borax and water mixture aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Use one teaspoon of borax instead of two for a gooier floam.
- Use three teaspoons for a more solid floam that better holds its shape.^{[3]
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3
Make a glue mixture. Measure a quarter cup of room temperature water into a large mixing bowl. Blend in a quarter cup of white craft glue. To color the floam, add a few drops of liquid or paste food coloring.
- You can mix your food colors together to create new colors. Try to match the glue mixture to your exact favorite color!
4
Pour the glue mixture into a plastic zipper bag. Have one person hold the bag open while another pours from the bowl.
5
Add in your remaining ingredients. Add about one and one third cups of polystyrene beads to the glue mixture. Next, pour in your borax solution.^{[4]
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- The exact amount of polystyrene beads can vary. If you want a thicker floam, use more. For a thinner floam, use less.
6
Knead the bag thoroughly to mix. Seal the bag securely. Squish the bag between your hands to knead it. After a few minutes of mixing, the floam should become jelly-like. Once it reaches this semi-solid state, your floam is ready for play.^{[5]
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7
Store your homemade floam properly. To prevent drying, keep your floam in either the bag you used to make it or transfer it to another airtight container. While it can sit at room temperature for a while, it's best to store the floam in the refrigerator. This will keep it fresh and free of mold for much longer.^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Crayon Floam

1
Gather your materials. You will need two crayons, vegetable oil, water, flour, polystyrene beads, a knife, a pan, and a stovetop or hot plate. This method should be done by adults only.
- The crayons should be from the same color family. For example, maroon and scarlet can be used together since they are both types of red.
2
Chop up your crayons. If the crayons are wrapped in paper, remove and discard it first. Using a sharp knife, slice up each of the two crayons into small pieces. The thinner the sections, the faster and easier they'll be to melt.
3
Heat the oil in the pan. Set your stovetop to medium heat and place your pan on the burner. Measure out two tablespoons of vegetable oil and add it to your pan. Make sure that the oil doesn't get too hot. If your oil starts to pop or burn, turn the heat down.
4
Melt the crayon pieces. Add the chopped crayons into the hot pan. Gently stir the crayons and oil to mix. Once the crayons have completely melted into a liquid, move on to the next step. It's normal for some crayons to be clumpy or goopy at this stage. Others will be smooth and creamy.
5
Add water and flour. Slowly stir two cups of water into the melted crayon mixture. While continuing to stir, add two and a half cups of flour. Add the flour is smaller portions to make blending easier. Stir your mixture until it is well-blended and takes on a uniform consistency.
- At this stage your dough should be relatively solid and pull together. If it is still sticky, add another half cup of flour before moving on.
6
Pour your dough onto a chopping board. Turn off your stove and transfer the dough onto a clean cutting board. Wait a few minutes for the dough to cool down enough for you to comfortably touch it.
7
Knead in the polystyrene beads. Once the dough has cooled, use your hands to knead the dough for a minute or two. Next, add in some polystyrene beads and keep kneading.
- The exact amount of beads you'll need will vary. You'll want to add enough so that your floam is relatively thick and holds its shape well, but not so much that it crumbles apart. Add a half cup of polystyrene beads at a time until your floam reaches the right consistency.
8
Store your floam properly. Since your floam is made from flour and oil, it can grow mold and go bad just as quickly as bread can. Refrigerate your floam when not in use to extend its lifespan. It's also a good idea to keep your floam in an airtight container or zipper bag to prevent it from drying out.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Floam without Borax

1
Put about ½ cup of white craft glue in a mixing bowl. Measure about ½ cup of white craft glue out and place it into a medium-sized bowl. If you want to make several floams in different colors, use separate bowls for each ½ cup of glue.^{[7]
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2
Squirt contact solution into the bowl. There’s no exact amount for this, just squeeze the bottle into the bowl for about 2 seconds. Use a spoon to stir the glue and contact solution together.^{[8]
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3
Add food coloring. Use any color you want! Start off with 2 or 3 drops, then stir it into the glue mixture. Evaluate the color. If you want your floam to be darker or brighter, add a few more drops of food coloring and stir again until fully incorporated.^{[9]
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4
Add the Styrofoam beads. Add approximately 2 tablespoons of Styrofoam beads into the bowl and stir vigorously to fully incorporate the mixture. Add 1 to 2 additional tablespoons of the beads (depending on the consistency you want) and mix well again. If you need to add more, continue in this way until you’re satisfied with the texture.^{[10]
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5
Mix baking soda and water in a bowl. Measure out approximately a tablespoon of baking soda and place it in a clean bowl. Add about ½ cup of water to the bowl. Mix well until the baking soda dissolves and is fully incorporated.^{[11]
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6
Pour about 2 teaspoons of the baking soda mixture into the floam. Mix vigorously until fully incorporated. If it seems a little too thick, add half a teaspoon or so of the baking soda mixture and mix well. Your floam is now ready to play with!^{[12]
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- To extend its shelf life, store the floam in an air tight container in the refrigerator when it’s not in use.

Community Q&A

Question

Is there any other way for kids to make floam without borax?

Community Answer

You can use laundry detergent or contact lens solution instead. Keep in mind that the contact lens solution must have sodium borate or any kind of borate in it.
Question

Do I have to use borax?

Community Answer

No. There are many other activators; liquid starch/laundry detergent and baking soda plus contact lens solution.
Question

I made the floam and after about 9 hours, the Styrofoam beads started to fall off and make a mess! Is there a way to fix this?!

Cookie2121

Community Answer

This is the problem with some recipes for floam. If you want good floam that will hold the beads in, you should mix the beads with the glue, then activate it. For now, add glue to your floam and knead.