We know it can be hard to get your children excited about essential oils, so we’ve found a fun way to keep them entertained while being exposed to essential oils. Your kids will not only love playing with these bouncy balls, but they will also enjoy the smell they leave on their hands. You can put any kid-safe oils in the bouncy balls. Some of the oils we used were lemon, orange, and lavender.

Essential Oil–Scented Bouncy Balls

Servings: Yield: 1 ball | Time: 5 minutes active | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. warm water
• 1 tsp. borax
• 1 Tbsp. liquid glue
• 5–10 drops of your favorite essential oils
• 3–4 drops food coloring
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Instructions:

1. Combine warm water and borax in a small cup or bowl. Stir until borax is completely dissolved, and then set aside.
2. In a glass bowl or cup, combine glue, essential oils, and food coloring.
3. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the borax solution with cornstarch to the glue. Allow the ingredients to interact for 15 seconds before stirring.
4. Stir the mixture together using a metal spoon until it becomes too stiff to stir. Then, pull the spoon out, and mold the the mixture into a ball by kneading it with your hands. The ball will be sticky at first, but it will solidify as you knead it. Once the ball is no longer sticky, roll it between your hands until it becomes smooth and round.

Extra Ideas:

1. Test the level of bounce on different surfaces. Unlike traditional bouncy balls, these balls bounce better on carpet than on hard surfaces.
2. Conduct a science experiment with your children by testing different ratios of borax, glue, and cornstarch to obtain the highest bounce.
3. Make multiple colors of balls, and combine them for fun designs.

Inspired by: https://sciencebob.com/make-your-own-bouncy-ball/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9PL8Tm_Ydw?rel=0

Don’t be alarmed if your child flattens the ball; they are easy to re-shape and resume the bouncy fun after your child is done smashing and stretching the ball.

Although these balls are not super bouncy, they are fun to play with and a good way to expose your children to essential oils. These are temporary bouncy balls that will eventually lose their elasticity. Keeping them in a sealed bag when not in use will help them stay bouncy longer.