“Everyone enjoys bubbles – babies like to watch other people blow bubbles, toddlers and preschoolers can learn to blow bubbles, older children enjoy making homemade bubble solution and trying bubble tricks and parents can tolerate the mess by remembering that blowing bubbles is a scientific activity – honest!” says Trish Kuffner, author of The Children’s Busy Book (Meadowbrook Press, 2001).

Here are some bubble activities from Kuffner’s book your children will enjoy!

How to Make Bubble Solution
According to Science World in Vancouver, British Columbia, glycerin helps soap bubbles hold water, which helps keep the bubbles from popping. Try a tablespoon or two of glycerin for a small batch of solution. Glycerin can be purchased at most pharmacies.

All-Purpose Bubble Solution
This solution works for most bubble tricks, experiments and activities. You’ll need:

• 7 to 10 parts water
• 1 part dish detergent
• Glycerin
• Bowl

Mix the water, detergent and glycerin in a bowl.

Giant Bubble
For giant bubbles, you’ll need:

• 2 drinking straws
• String
• Bubble solution
• Large, flat baking pan

Thread a length of string through two straws. Tie the ends together to make a loop. Leave as much slack string between the straws as you like, depending on the size of bubble you want.

Pour bubble solution into a large, shallow baking pan. Hold one straw in each hand, leaving the string hanging slack between them. Dip the straw-and-string loop into the bubble solution, then lift it out slowly, taking care not to break the film of bubble solution. Pull the straws apart until the string is taut, then hold the bubble film in front of a fan or the wind and watch a giant bubble take shape!

Bubble Fun
For more bubble fun you’ll need:

• Drinking straws
• Bubble solution
• Scissors
• Tape
• Funnel
• Tea strainer
• Set of plastic rings from beverage six-pack

Try these ideas for blowing some neat bubbles:

1. Dip one end of a straw into bubble solution. Blow through the other end of the straw to make bubbles.

2. Cut each of two straws in half. Tape the four short straws together in a bunch. Dip one end of the bunch into bubble solution and blow through the other end.

3. Wet part of a tabletop with bubble solution. Dip a drinking straw into the solution. Blow a large dome-shaped bubble on the tabletop. Release the bubble, then insert your straw in it and blow into the straw to form a smaller bubble inside the big one.

4. Dip the wide end of a funnel into bubble solution. Blow through the narrow end to form interesting bubble shapes.

5. Dip a set of plastic rings from a beverage six-pack in bubble solution and wave it through the air.

Bubble Doughnut
For a bubble doughnut you’ll need:

• Length of wire (large paper clip, thin-wire coat hanger)
• Bubble solution
• Length of thread shorter than wire

Shape the wire into a circle about 2 inches in diameter. Dip the wire loop into the bubble solution and blow bubbles through it.

Dip the thread in the bubble solution and roll the ends together between your fingers to form a loop. Dip the wire loop into the bubble solution again, but don’t blow bubbles this time. Instead, place the thread loop gently on top of the film inside the wire loop.

Break the film inside the thread loop. This should give you a doughnut-shaped film between the thread loop and the wire loop. Tilt the wire loop from side to side and watch the doughnut change shape.

Want to see more?

• So Simple! Old-fashioned Fun With Kids
• Recipes for Fun!
• Bubble Boy
• Talk about it!