Gingerbread Oobleck (Messy Play for Toddlers & Preschoolers)

Looking for an easy Christmas-themed sensory activity to try with your kids? This simple gingerbread oobleck is taste-safe, easy to make and smells amazing! It is both fun and perfect for younger kids who still put everything in their mouths.

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Have you ever made oobleck for your kids? It is taste-safe, super easy to do, and SO FUN for kids to explore!

We are huge fans of sensory play in our house, so with the holidays coming up, I wanted to make something Christmassy for the kids to play with. And since the Edible Candy Cane Slime I made a couple weeks ago was such a big hit, I thought… why not gingerbread slime?

This simple oobleck recipe is perfect for Christmas—and like our peppermint-scented candy cane slime, it also smells amazing. It’s like playing with liquid gingerbread cookies, but with a way cooler texture!

This activity can get a little messy, but I found that it wasn’t too bad when contained in a bin.

And because it’s made from edible ingredients, it’s also perfect for babies and toddlers who like to put everything in their mouths! (But it doesn’t taste good… which is totally fine with me. I don’t want my kids to actively try to eat it.)

Related: How to Make Oobleck (Complete Guide)

Required Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to whip up a batch of gingerbread-scented oobleck slime at home:

• 1 ½ cups cornstarch (you may know it as “corn flour” if you live in the U.K. or Australia)
• 4 tbsp ground ginger
• 3 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp allspice
• 1 ½ tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup water

Note: If ever you’re missing some of the required spices, feel free to swap them out for more ginger or cinnamon.

How to Make Gingerbread Oobleck (Step-by-Step)

1. Combine Dry Ingredients

Start by pouring 1 ½ cups of cornstarch, 4 tablespoons of ground ginger, 3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, 1 ½ tablespoons of allspice and 1 ½ tablespoons of ground cloves into a large bowl or bin.

I poured them directly into the bin we were going to be using to play in order to minimize the cleanup.

Once you have added all the dry ingredients, use a spoon to stir them until well combined before moving on to the next step.

2. Add Water

Slowly pour 1 cup of water into the dry ingredients, mixing well after each addition.

I started with about ½ cup, stirred it in with a spoon, then added another ½ cup.

Once you have added a full cup of water to the dry ingredients and stirred them together, you’ll want to check the consistency of the mixture.

Oobleck has a really unique texture that makes it unlike any other slime: it is a non-Newtonian fluid that behaves like a solid when pressure is applied to it, but like a liquid in its resting state.

In order to test the consistency, hit the mixture with a spoon. Then, gently place the spoon in the oobleck without applying any pressure. Does the spoon stay on the surface when you hit the oobleck, but sink when no pressure is applied?

You can also try scooping up some of the mixture with the spoon to see what happens. Does it “ooze” back into place to cover up the hole you made?

If so, your gingerbread oobleck has the right texture and is ready to play with! If not, adjust the texture by adding more water (if it’s too solid and not “oozy” enough in its resting state) or more cornstarch (if it’s too runny and doesn’t behave like a solid when pressure is applied).

I decided to add some gingerbread cookie cutters to emphasize the gingerbread theme. Then, I gave the sensory bin to my 3-year-old so she could test it out. She had SO much fun with it and especially enjoyed adding toys and watching them sink!

She even asked for it again the very next day, so I’d say this activity was a success!

How Long Does Gingerbread Oobleck Last?

Unfortunately, oobleck dries out pretty quickly and tends to be a one-time-use sort of activity. So you’ll probably only get a few hours of play from it.

That being said, if it gets too stiff during play and stops “oozing”, you can revive it by stirring in a bit of water with a spoon.

Extend the Play with Frozen Gingerbread Oobleck

Did you know you can FREEZE oobleck for a totally different experience? It acts as a solid when frozen, but as it melts, its consistency keeps changing… How fun!

I haven’t tried this yet, but the next time I make this, I’m thinking of placing some of it in silicone gingerbread molds in the freezer to create frozen oobleck gingerbread men for my kids to play with. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turned out!

How to Dispose of Gingerbread Oobleck

When comes the time to clean up your oobleck, don’t pour it down the drain. Doing so will likely end up clogging your pipes.

Instead, leave the oobleck out to dry overnight. Then, sweep up all the powder and dispose of it by throwing it in the trash or compost.

Related Gingerbread Activities for Toddlers

Enjoy this activity? Check out this other gingerbread man activity for toddlers and preschoolers:

• How to Decorate a Paper Gingerbread Man (with Free Template!)

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