It’s no secret that kids love playing with bubbles. Here’s how to DIY your own at home.
Article by Elisa Cinelli on Parents.com
Blowing bubbles with your kids is a fun and easy way to get them playing outside—not to mention the smiles and laughs had along the way. There’s just something about bubbles that kids of all ages love, whether it’s chasing after them or trying to blow the biggest one without it popping.
Beyond just being fun, playing with bubbles may also help to boost your child’s development. “When a child goes chasing a bubble across a yard, giggling with delight, they are actually working on their hand-eye coordination and practicing visual tracking,” says Kristen Miller, a certified early childhood educator and director of education for Celebree School.
Before you head out to the store to stock up on bubble solution, consider making your own at home. It’ll save you some cash, and it may be easier than you thought. You probably already have everything you need to make bubbles in your own kitchen—and you can even involve your kids for a fun activity too. Ahead, learn more about how to DIY your own bubble mix, improving your bubble solution’s consistency, and what games to play with your kids outside.
Independent Outdoor Play Is Critical for Kids—Here’s How Parents Can Help
Bubble Solution Ingredients
To DIY your own bubble solution you will need…
- A large container
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup dish soap
Optionally, you may also need…
- 1 tablespoon glycerine
- ¼ cup sugar
Note that hard water will not produce great bubbles. If you have hard water coming out of your tap, it would be better to buy distilled water. Any brand of dish soap will work, but I recommend Dawn for optimal bubbles.
How to Make Your Own Bubble Solution
Here are the steps to DIY your own bubble solution:
- Pour the water into the container.
- Slowly add the dish soap.
- Mix the dish soap into the water very gently. Do your best to not let foam or bubbles form on top.
The recipe for bubble solution is six parts water to one part dish soap. The easiest way to do this is to mix 6 cups water with 1 cup dish soap. You can adjust measurements as needed (such as 3 cups water with ½ cup dish soap), but know that larger amounts will work best.
Making Better Bubbles
Adding some simple ingredients to your bubble solution can improve the consistency of your bubbles. Glycerin and sugar will give you bubbles that last longer and are more difficult to pop. Glycerin absorbs water, so your bubbles won’t dry out as fast. Sugar mixes with the dish soap, creating a stronger bubble film. These additions will also allow you to blow much bigger bubbles.
Try this science experiment with your kids: Mix up one regular batch of bubble solution, one with glycerin, and one with sugar. You can also add both glycerin and sugar for a fourth batch. Compare the different types of bubbles you get from each batch.
For glycerin bubbles, add 1 tablespoon glycerin before mixing the solution.
For sugar bubbles, add ¼ cup sugar to the water and stir until dissolved. Then, add the dish soap.
Tips for Blowing Bubbles
Letting your solution sit overnight may make it easier to blow those bubbles. Alternatively, you can uncap your dish soap overnight for similar results. But don’t worry if you don’t have time for this; the solution should work either way.
When you’re done with your bubble play for the day, you can cap your solution and save it. Just make sure to give it a good stir before using it again. Stirring should be done slowly and gently.
Activities to Do With Bubbles
If you feel like doing some organized activities, we have a few ideas for you. Just know that it’s completely optional to structure your kids’ time playing with bubbles. Free play is just as beneficial.
Level up your bubble game with these ideas:
Blow the Biggest Bubble
See who can blow the biggest bubble, using hoops or long pieces of string with both ends tied together. Mix your solution in a kiddy pool or another wide container.
You can break into teams where part of the challenge is making the best solution, or you can focus just on the skill of bubble blowing.
Colorful Bubbles
Simply add a few drops of food coloring to your mixture and your bubbles will pick up a new hue. You can make several batches of different shades, or experiment with color mixing.
Frozen Bubbles
Bubbles aren’t just for warm weather. Bundle up on a cold winter day and watch your bubbles freeze after you blow them.
Popping Challenge
Add a fun challenge by trying to pop bubbles using only a specific body part. For example, everyone must use their foot or their nose to pop the bubbles. Switch to another body part after several minutes have passed.
parents.com/how-to-make-your-own-bubble-solution-7229054