The Best of Call Me Grandma: About School Glue
Looking back over five years of blogging, I can add more input to previous posts with the advantage of hindsight and experience.
So today, I’m revisiting the time we made suncatchers, one of the top ten posts on my blog. In this post, you’ll learn simple steps to make this fun, easy project using white school glue.
To the original post, I’ve added activities to help kids learn about color and more ways to use suncatchers in the home.
Check out the updated story HERE.
Now, About School Glue…
But, what I really wanted to expand about in this related post is school glue–in this case, Elmer’s Glue. Because five years ago, I did a foolish thing.
In January 2020, I bought 2 GALLONS of Elmer’s Liquid School Glue. I expected I’d be using a lot of it doing craft projects with the grandkids.
WHAT was I thinking?
Yes, a gallon of glue is way cheaper than 4-ounce bottles. On Amazon, it’s 11 cents per fluid ounce for the gallon, versus 67 cents per fluid ounce for the 4-ounce size.
What I didn’t realize, though, is how little we would need. Despite all the projects we’ve done, I still have about 1/3 of a gallon left from one container, and a full gallon from the other.
Sometimes, there are Better Alternatives
- Sometimes, there are cheaper glue alternatives. For example, we made our piñata using 1 part school glue and 2 parts water because we already had the glue. But you can make your own paste using equal parts of flour and water.
- And sometimes, you may want another type of glue. We used the regular type to make make slime. But to make the fancier glitter slime, you need clear glue or glitter glue.
How to Work with Bulk Glue
So, word to the wise, buy big, but not so big that you may end up having to donate a gallon to your grandchild’s school–unless you chose to. Or, buy big and split it with a friend.
To work on a project, pour the glue into plastic takeout sauce containers with lids. They’re stable enough for kids to use, easily disposable after a project, and if you have leftover glue, just cap the cup; the glue will stay liquid for a few weeks.
To apply the glue, sponge brushes are best; regular paint brushes will stiffen, not matter how well you soak and rinse them out.
For hard-to-reach spots I use a bamboo skewer, which can get into tight spaces. No need to toss the skewer; just rinse and use again. I keep a collection of used paint skewers with my paint brushes.
What We Did with School Glue
Many of our craft projects use school glue. We use the glue for gluing, of course, but also, we use it like varnish to coat many of our crafts to give them a shine or a protective finish.
Here are some crafts where school glue is the main component:
- Piñatas require a good amount of glue to hold paper strips together.
- Bouncy balls are made with school glue and borax (you’ll find the specific information under Camp Grandma Science Projects).
- Suncatchers are crafted from just two materials: school glue and paint.
- Slime is a mixture of school glue, baking soda, and contact lens solution.
And, as an added information bonus, check out 18 Unusual Uses for School Glue. There are some I would forgo, like lip gloss, but the hack for splinter removal shows promise.
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