Thursday, June 2, 2016

If You're Thinking About Making Glue Sponges...



If you're thinking about making glue sponges and want to know if they're worth it, read on...

Ever since school ended last June, I heard all about glue sponges and saw them everywhere.  I wanted to see if they were worth the time and energy.  I waited all summer to try it and finally, I made them in September.  I tested it out with a few kids and they loved it so much, I made one for every group.  They truly are so simple to make and my kids even helped me out.  Each glue sponge uses a little less than a bottle of glue and can be used throughout the year.

So, now it’s June and my glue sponges are still going strong!  Since we don’t use them every day, we keep them moist with a few spritzes of water every now and again.  Occasionally, we flip them over.  I thought that maybe they would begin to smell, but there is no odor at all.  

In short, I would highly recommend making them as they save a ton of time when gluing little pieces down and for the first time since I can remember, we haven’t run out of glue sticks-since some art projects just need a glue stick!

So... why make glue sponges?
·         It’s easy to put glue on the little pieces of any cut and paste activity.
·         Perfect for interactive notebook pieces.
·         There are no messy glue sticks and no missing caps.
·         They last for the whole year!



 What you'll need:  
Containers 
(I didn't buy the dollar store kind since when I used them for a project last time, the seal wasn't great.)

Sponges 

Elmer's Glue
Glue sponges are also great for emptying out those almost empty glue bottles that take forever for the glue to get to the top! 


 I used a little less than a bottle for each glue sponge. 
 I poured some in the bottom, laid the sponge down, and added a little more glue on top.




Seal it up and your glue sponge will be ready to go the next day! Don't worry, the sponge will absorb the glue.



We use them all the time!  In fact, a few of my kids loved them so much, they made their own sponges at home! 


I hope you enjoy your glue sponges and much as I do! 
Let me know how yours turn out.





12 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I didn't wet them. I just added the glue and it was all soaked up within a day. I keep a spritz bottle of water handy during the year to keep them moist if they get a bit dry.

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  2. This may be life changing since we always have issues with glue sticks. Last year, I almost ran out of glue sticks! I tried everything to keep the glue sticks in tact but it was difficult. I want to try this for this upcoming school year! Thank you for sharing your idea!

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    Replies
    1. Best of luck- I loved them and the kids loved them as well!

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  3. Yep---this might be a game-changer for me!

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  4. I had a quick question... do you find your containers hold up over time? I've already had to replace a few of my containers due to cracking.

    I'm sure some if it is the result of how "gentle" my lovely 8th graders are with the containers. However, it would also seem that the little bit of glue that doesn't get soaked up into the sponge, settles into the corners, dries and makes the corners fragile and easily susceptible to cracking.

    Mine are gladware, so maybe the Ziploc ones would make a difference?

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    Replies
    1. Hi, I haven't had any problems with them and I'm sure my second graders are just as 'gentle'. Do you spritz the sponges every once in a while to keep them moist?

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  5. This may seem like a dumb question, but do the kids just slide what they want to glue across the sponge?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Angie,
      They actually just dab the paper on the sponge since the sponge is soaked with glue. They don't need to slide it. Good luck!

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  6. I couldn't find that type of sponge do you think the yellow ones will work?

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