How does a self-described “neat freak” become an advocate for slime? For Ashley Chmielewski, owner of The Slime Lab in Milton, it started with a challenge from her daughter. Like many parents, Ashley found herself in a sticky situation when her daughter took an interest in the slime craze that was sweeping through schools, stores, and social media.
Oftentimes, though, what’s fun for kids can mean a big mess for their parents. The Slime Lab helps solve this problem while offering a unique sensory experience for families, without the clean-up.
From sensory stimulation and open-ended exploration to stress reduction, slime has many benefits, provided it’s not stuck in your carpet. As fun and soothing as it is, the clean-up can be enough to see it blacklisted from many homes, and Ashley will admit to understanding the frustration. In fact, it was the motivation for her venture.
“I’m a bit of a neat freak,” laughs Ashley. “Like Monica on Friends kind of level of neat freak. I remember specifically my daughter saying, ‘I know you would never let me do this,’ and it was almost kind of like an ‘Oh yeah?'”
With the gauntlet thrown down, Ashley and her kids got to work making some DIY slime from an online recipe using shaving cream that “smells like your grandfather.” The result? Two kids covered head to toe in some pretty gross goo – and a huge mess to clean up. From there, they kept refining their recipes, but not without some minor (and occasionally more major) catastrophes, including a slime-covered rug and, subsequently, a broken washing machine.
“Many, many things inside my house were just destroyed with slime,” Ashley explains. “I loved how much she loved it because it wasn’t a screen…she was being creative and playing. I hated that it made me angry because things were being destroyed. Think of being a child, and you’re doing something you absolutely love that you think is harmless, and someone else constantly has this negative reaction to it. I feel like a lot of kids and a lot of parents were all in the same situation.”
As her kids became increasingly invested in the activity, Ashley delved into the benefits of sensory activities and didn’t want her distaste for messes to discourage her kids from pursuing that type of play.
A serial entrepreneur with a background in administration, finance, and fitness, Ashley had an instinct that a slime-based activity centre for kids would be popular among parents like her who want to provide their children with a creative outlet for year-round sensory play without the workload that comes with de-sliming their homes.
“I’ve always been in business for myself in one way or another, so I don’t think I have as much of a fear factor as some people,” explains Ashley. “I think it’s scarier to think of what happens if you have this great idea and you think ‘I could do this’ and then you don’t do it. To me, that’s a scarier thought. So, I thought, I’m just going to give it a try. I know a lot of kids love slime. I know a lot of parents hate slime. It makes sense to me. I can keep thinking about it, or I can just do it.”
The Slime Lab features a variety of tactile stations, allowing guests to interact with slime in different ways. This begins with free play, where kids can explore various textures and ways to play, thereby developing curiosity, creativity, and motor skills. The experience introduces another layer of sensory play with its low-light glow-in-the-dark room, where glowing slime creates a fun, immersive activity. Kids can then have fun walking on different textures of slime for even more tactile stimulation before diving into the foam pit.
A big part of The Slime Lab’s appeal is being able to try things that are frowned upon at home, like throwing slime. One of the most beloved parts of the experience is the slime slingshot, where kids can shoot slime at targets – something even the most lenient of parents would be hard-pressed to allow in their living room.
The experience isn’t just for kids, though. The Slime Lab also offers a space where parents can get in on the fun without having to deal with the mess.
“A lot of families come in and say, ‘This is great – they’re not making a mess in my house.’ They really enjoy that they can get involved with their kids and play with slime – again, not in their house,” shares Ashley.
Sticklers for cleanliness like Ashley can rest assured that the business is meticulously cleaned on a regular basis, with strict sanitizing requirements for staff and guests before interacting with the slime stations. Beyond these measures, parents can also feel confident that Ashley’s slime recipes are safe for play, made with premium-grade ingredients, including contact solution, which contains a natural disinfectant, and baking soda.
Alongside the main stations, visitors can stop at the Slime Bar to design a slime to take home, using customized colours, scents, and glitter add-ins. When purchasing tickets, guests can choose from the Starter Slimer Experience, which includes pre-made slime, or the VIP Slimer Experience, which offers an even more customizable keepsake with made-from-scratch slime and premium add-ins.
To make your visit truly unforgettable, opt for The Works, available for kids ages five and up. This option includes access to an extra activity: after getting suited up in a protective poncho and visor, you can ‘get slimed’ with a liquid slime that rains down.
Beyond regular visits, The Slime Lab is also available for birthday parties, school break camps, and special seasonal drop-off events. If you’re looking for a gift, Ashley also offers make-at-home slime kits and pre-made slime sets.
Building on the success of the Lab, Ashley recently moved into a bigger location in the Milton Mall. The new space includes larger party rooms for celebrations and an upgraded ‘Get Slimed’ area that can shower 10 kids in slime at once, with a comfortable viewing area for parents.
Coming in July, the youngest visitors (three and under) will have their own dedicated sensory and soft play areas. Parents, too, can enjoy a refreshed space where they can keep watch on their little ones while grabbing a drink from the new café. Throughout the summer, all of the existing stations will also get a revamp ahead of an official grand reopening celebration planned for this Fall.
Find The Slime Lab, located inside the Milton Mall, on Instagram and Facebook, or visit the website for tickets.
