TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT? INTERACTIVE ACTIVITY 

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This activity is super fun for kids ages 3+. 

It involves making homemade"gak" as a "stomach medium" of whatever wildlife species you would (e.g. sea turtles, shorebirds).  

 

GAK RECIPE:

TWO 4 oz. bottles of liquid glue (e.g. Elmer’s)

– 1 tsp. Borax (all natural laundry detergent)

– Water

– Cup

– Bowl

– Food Coloring 

 

TO BEGIN:

Pour both bottles of glue into the bowl and then fill bottles with warm water, put on top, shake, empty into bowl.

 

Add food coloring (depending on what color you want) We made it light pink to simulate the inside of a stomach. 

 

Add 1/2 cup warm water to your cup. 

 

Add 1 tsp. borax to the water and mix until borax dissolves. 

 

Pour borax solution into glue bowl. 

 

The mixture will become string but keep mixing it by using your hands. After a few minutes it will become a gelatinous consistency.

I made a few batches and then placed small pieces of marine litter* along with fake squid, crab etc.into the bowls.

 

TIP: If you are making a larger amount than in the recipe above, I recommend making the "gak" mixture at least 48 hours in advance because the more material, the longer it takes to fully homogenize! You can just let it sit in a sealed container after mixing.

 

Keep mixture sealed and will last through several play sessions but while eventually dry out and/or attract debris.  

 

 

GAME:

Kids come up one by one and feel through the mixture to find something. They pull out one item and then they are asked “Should they eat it or should they not?”

The marine litter items they SHOULD NOT EAT and the fake prey (crabs, squid etc) SHOULD BE EATEN! 

 

*For marine litter items we used small pieces of rope, bottle caps, straws, and other plastic lids.