12 Incredibly Satisfying Substances That Instantly Kill Boredom

The Classic: Play-Doh

How well do you remember this stuff from your childhood? The smell, the texture, the feel of it squeezing through your fingers. And of course, for the less 'sophisticated' of us: the taste. Fun fact of the day: Play-Doh was originally formulated as a wallpaper cleaner. But when the coal-heated furnaces of yesteryear gave way to more modern (and less sooty) alternatives, the manufacturer had to find a new use for its cleaning paste. And Play-Doh was born. Want to relive the magic? Check out all the new and incredible varieties of Play-Doh on Amazon.

The Magic Metal That Melts In Your Hands: Gallium

The element gallium (Ga) shares many properties with its neighbors on the Periodic Table — aluminum, indium and thallium. Perhaps its most unique property, however, is its incredibly low melting point of 85.57 degrees Fahrenheit, which is widely used as a temperature reference point. But enough of that boring stuff. Gallium literally melts in your hands, making it look like an outtake from Terminator 2 is taking place on your palm. And even cooler, you can buy the stuff easily on Amazon. Go on, give it a shot.

The Transvestitic Non-Newtonian Liquid That Sometimes Is A Solid: Oobleck

Oobleck is a fascinating substance. Acting as liquid in most states, it then behaves like a solid under quick application of pressure. If you're ambitious enough, you could even walk comfortably across a pool of Oobleck, provided you move quickly enough. The coolest aspect of this strange substance is its composition. Oobleck is just a mixture of corn starch and water. So go on, give it a shot yourself. 

This Pile Of Millions Of Tiny Rocks That I Really Want To Bite: Kinetic Sand

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A mix of 98% sand and 2% polydimethylsiloxane, this compelling substance is more commonly known as Kinetic Sand. Originally formulated as a sculpting compound, the sand has caught on as an addictively satisfying plaything for kids and adults alike. Is it just me, or do you want to bite this stuff? There's a whole expanding world of Kinetic Sand varieties out there, and it makes for a surprisingly affordable desk toy at work.

This Mysterious Dark Substance That Will Eat All The Magnets: Magnetic Putty

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Essentially a suspension of metal particles in polymer putty, Magnetic Putty behaves in amazing ways when exposed to magnets (its favorite food). Check out the varieties of magnetic putty here, and grab some magnets to feed it while you're at it.

This Tan-Colored Classic That Stretches, Snaps, and Bounces: Silly Putty

Yet another example of a non-Newtonian fluid, Silly Putty was originally developed during WWII as an attempted (and much needed) substitute for natural rubber. While it failed in that regard, this old-school putty has enjoyed a constant level of popularity, with more than 300 million of the familiar red eggs sold since its release in the 1950s. A personal confession: I love this stuff. My mom still includes an egg of Silly Putty in my stocking every year (I am a man, in my 30s), and I will still bite it. Don't tell me you never did. Silly Putty is still available in its comically boring tan form, and plenty of snazzy new modern varieties.

This Amazingly Captivating Substance That Was Once Known As Gak: Slime

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Any child of the '90s will remember the phenomenon that was Nickelodeon's Gak. With its bright colors, brighter commercials, and splat-shaped plastic case that made fantastically gross sounds when you pressed the stuff home, Gak was a more modern, fun alternative to Silly Putty with a singularly jiggly, bouncy and stretchy texture all its own. Today, Gak is enjoying a renaissance under the more anonymous heading of 'slime', with thousands of YouTube and Instagram videos demonstrating all the different varieties you can make at home. We have our own favorite recipe, and you can find the supplies right here. Hint: it's really, really easy to make.

This Classroom Staple That Makes Some Amazing Substances: Elmer's White Glue

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As common as it is, this PVA-based glue is a pretty amazing substance. Not only will it hold your latest crafting masterpiece together, Elmer's will also let you make your own slime, patch holes in your walls, and when paired with glitter, makes for an easy DIY beauty solution. And who doesn't remember the immensely satisfying feeling of peeling dried Elmer's Glue off of their palms? (Something I wish I was doing right now, as I type).

These Tiny Balls That Turn Into Squishy Translucent Marbles On Contact With Water

Formed of superabsorbent polymers (aka, SAPs), these water-absorbing substances were pioneered for use in diapers and other situations in which moisture may be a problem. And now, as all great things go, they've been re-engineered for use in fun, everyday, totally pointless activities (like filling up swimming pools with them). These tiny beads make for an impressive and very inexpensive scientific demonstration, or just a really fun way to pass some time (and make experiments of your own). You can find a wide variety of them on Amazon.

This Opaque Liquid That Looks Like Something Out Of Alien: Ferromagnetic Fluid

Originally invented in the 1960s by a NASA scientist as a means of propelling fuel into an engine in a weightless environment, Ferrofluids have become a fascinating field of scientific study all their own, which we will not get into here. Because, more importantly, it's a completely, insanely amazing substance that does incredible things when exposed to magnets. And even cooler, you can buy it on Amazon for cheap.

This Satisfying Substance That's The Unholy Offspring Of Play-Doh And A Burst Travel Pillow: Floam

Along with Gak, Floam is another '90s-kid standby, satisfying to smush and sculpt as you feel the thousands of tiny foam microbeads move around in their dough-like suspension. It's still on the market, and a fairly popular satisfying substance on Amazon.

This Viscous Substance That's Like Silly Putty But Clear: Liquid Glass Putty

If you love Silly Putty, but find the tan color just too much to deal with, Crazy Aaron's Liquid Glass Putty is probably for you. In all seriousness, despite its similarity to Silly Putty in behavior, there's something compelling about the stuff that makes you really want to get your hands on it. Fortunately, there's a wide variety of Liquid Glass-style putties on Amazon, and some in quite larger quantities than your average Silly Putty egg.