Slime: Why is it good for you?

Do you play with slime or squishies at home?

You might do it for fun but did you know it's got another important benefit?

Squishy stuff helps soothe and relax your brain - so if you ever need to chill out, go and grab some slime!

The information we receive through our senses (touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight) helps us learn about our environment and sends messages to our nervous system.

The nervous system is a collection of nerves and cells that send signals between different parts of the body. It's like the body's electrical wiring and coordinates our actions and the information we receive to and from our senses.

Positive sensory input (for instance squeezing a load of lovely gooey slime) activates part of the nervous system which helps us rest.

While all the senses can make us feel relaxed, the sense of touch is thought to be a route to a meditative state - which means feeling very calm.

Newsround spoke to Claire Hopkins, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and spokesperson for the Association of Child Psychotherapists who told us that "sensory objects [such as slime] can often help direct children's attention to a single focus in the here and now".

She went on to say that playing with sensory objects can allow children to "quieten" any external and internal things that are happening such as "new environments" or "changing emotional states".

"These calmer moments enable children to feel less overwhelmed", she said.

"There's something about different tactile things that actually creates a sense of mindfulness," counsellor Tracy Turner-Bumberry told National Geographic.

She went on to say that playing with squidgy stuff like slime can combat stress and "helps children hone in on what's happening right now and tune out past sadness or future anxiety. They notice that right in that moment, they're touching something that feels so good in their hands."

Early childhood educator Amanda Ralph also told National Geographic that when children are using items like slime, "the brain switches off. There's no right or wrong way, so [the brain] doesn't feel stressed."

And that's not all! Playing with your favourite ball of slime can help your brain develop and even improve your ability to write! SLIME-TASTIC!

You can make your own eco-friendly slime, check out how!

Does playing with slime and squishies help you relax? Let us know in the comments below.