Starting Your Sloomoo Institute Slime Journey 

Sloomoo is all about the slime. Photo courtesy of BFA for Sloomoo Institute

My family began our Sloomoo visit with a short video detailing the rules and guidelines of the venue, including sanitizing requirements. For those concerned about the germs at Sloomoo Institute, staff highly encourage sanitizing between stations with several handwashing stations set up between activities.

I found the whole experience remarkably sterile, considering we were all touching gooey, sticky slime. Sloomoo staff do a wonderful job of monitoring the cleanliness of the rooms, and enforcing the rules to make sure everyone remains healthy and sanitary. 

What to Expect at Sloomoo Institute

Create A Unique Slime Name

After the video (rules include no taking slime out of the vats, no throwing slime, and a tutorial on how to get slime out of your clothes), we moved to the next room to create our slime names. 

Want to make your own? Replace the vowels in your name with “OO”—now you have yours! For example, my name is Kylie, so my slime name was “Kooloo.” Everyone in Sloomoo wears a name tag bearing their new name. 

Surplus of Slime Varieties

When we moved on to the next room we stayed for over an hour! Kids and adults can play with different slimes in vats, and there are plenty of stools and raised steps to make sure that even the shortest slimers can reach the fun. There are even several trays of slime near the floor (my 20-month-old loved these). 

One special vat is full of slime that can be applied to the “slime mural” on the wall near the entry- we loved spreading the sticky substance all over the wall (which is also a great photo op!).

Slimes range from extremely stretchy to sticky and gooey to crunchy and are bespectacled with unique beads or balls. We thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with the different varieties while breathing in scents ranging from citrus to grape soda to bubblegum. 

Next to the slime vats is the slime slingshot. Slimers can shoot a ball of slime against a glass wall (and friends and family can stand on the other side as targets!). 

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Pretend to be on a Nickelodeon show. Photo by Elizabeth R. 

Sloomoo Falls 

Sloomoo Falls is a special add-on experience where you can actually get slimed, just like the contestants on Nickelodeon’s millennial TV shows (Figure It Out, anyone?). Before standing under the deluge, staff will help you cover your clothes in double ponchos and shower caps.

My daughter was game enough to step under the falls and she came out clean and dry. The staff make quite the production out of the sliming and encourage onlookers to chant for the brave souls that step up for the challenge. When my daughter stepped off the podium, she looked up at me with a big smile and said “Wow! That was crazy!” 

Kinetic Sand Room

If your kids aren’t huge fans of slime (my littlest wasn’t a fan of the texture), check out the kinetic sand room. My girls loved using all the different molds to create shapes in this “out-of-this-world” space-themed room.

This room is tucked off to the right past the slime slingshot, and it’s worth a visit. Stepping stools make it easy for kids of any age to reach the tables of magnetic sand. 

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Delight the senses. Photo by author Kylie Williams

Slime for the Senses 

Sloomoo is an ideal spot to engage all of your senses. In addition to the 25+ vats of slime you can feel and smell, there is a psychedelic, metallic room dedicated to listening to different sounds, and another area dedicated to feeling different textures and materials while blindfolded (and you get to keep your adorable blindfold/sleeping mask, too).

Lake Sloomoo 

Most of Sloomoo Institute involves using your hands, but one special area engages your feet instead! Shoes and socks must be off before you enter. Kids and adults alike are encouraged to step and squelch 13,000 gallons of slime between their toes at Lake Sloomoo.

I took a walk in Lake Sloomoo, and it was a squishy sensation. There is also a colorful balloon tunnel to climb through and a bed of plushies to grasp and squeeze. 

RELATED: Simple But Cool Slime Recipes to Make with Kids

Dip your toes into Lake Sloomoo. Photo courtesy of BFA for Sloomoo Institute

DIY Slime Bar 

The highlight of the Sloomoo Institute experience is making your very own 8 oz. container of slime to take home. Each general admission ticket includes one container from the DIY slime bar. Sloomoo takes care of the slime base for you—no mixing glue, saline, and baking soda. However, slime-makers get to choose from a variety of different textures. 

Slimes are categorized from “beginner” to “expert.” Sloomoo slime experts can help you decide if you want a stretchy slime, a soft slime, a textured slime, and more. After choosing your base, head to the scent wall to pick from over 60 different scents. Take a sample sniff before using a token to spin the aroma into your container. 

The next stop is the color bar, where slimers can select from over 40 colors for their slime. Tables in the center of the slime bar are set up and ready for mixing, which you do with your hands. Squish the color and scent into your slime until it is all well-blended. Paper towels and wet wipes are ubiquitous- this process can get messy! 

Lastly, head to the charm bar, where you can choose three charms per container that reflect your personality and interests. 

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What color will you pick for your slime creation? Photo courtesy of BFA for Sloomoo Institute

Getting Here and Parking

Sloomoo stands out from the moment you arrive. It is a hard-to-miss fuschia-colored building on Fairfax, across from the Original Farmers Market. When we arrived, my daughter didn’t know what was inside but knew she wanted to enter “ that pretty pink building.” 

There is street parking around Fairfax, or guests are welcome to park in the Original Farmers Market parking lot. We combined our slime adventure with a visit to the Original Farmers Market for lunch, and a stroll around the Grove to do some shopping, as it is all within walking distance.

Food is not allowed at Sloomoo Institute, so the Original Farmers Market with kids is a great dining choice in the area. 

What to Wear 

Wear clothes that you are not afraid to get a little dirty. Chances are kids will get splattered with more than a few drops of slime. Thankfully, the slime washes off easily with vinegar and water, and slime experts have towels and bottles of anti-slime solution ready for anyone who ends up with a mess. 

​The same advice goes for shoes. Stepping on some errant slime here or there is a strong possibility. Wear shoes that you are not concerned about having to clean when you get home. 

If your kids have long hair, pull it up into a ponytail or top bun for this experience. My daughter was wearing tinsel in her hair during our visit, and needless to say, that tinsel ended up in a trash can before the experience was over. 

So much sensory fun to be had at Sloomoo. Photo courtesy of BFA for Sloomoo Institute

Know Before You Go 

• Sloomoo Institute is a permanent attraction in Los Angeles and is open daily, excluding major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. 
• ​Strollers are not allowed inside, though there is a storage room available.
• Toddlers under 24 months are free. My 20-month-old had a blast at Sloomoo. As long as your little one is capable of following the rules, he or she will enjoy it. 
• The Sloomoo Institute experience is one-way. You cannot return to previous rooms, so enjoy each room to the max before moving on. Once you have left a room, you have left for good. Sloomoo Falls is in the first room, so if you purchase the VIP experience, don’t pass it by. 
• The experience is estimated to take approximately 90 minutes, but it could take much longer (we were there for two and a half hours!). 
• I mistakenly thought the DIY slime bar was the last stop on our tour, but there are several more experiences following your slime-making activity. Allow extra time for these experiences.  
• Guests can buy pre-made slimes, merchandise, slime-making kits, and more in the gift shop. 
• Sloomoo has plenty of warnings for out-of-towners about TSA regulations and slime. There are TSA-approved slime containers available for purchase in the gift shop. Unfortunately, the 8 oz. containers made during the experience will be confiscated if stowed in a carry-on bag. 

All photos, unless otherwise indicated, were provided by the venue.