Homemade Bubbles & Bubble Experiments
Bubbles are one of those magical things that never get old. Whether you’re two years old or forty-two, there’s just something about watching a rainbow-filled bubble float through the air that feels like instant joy. And the best part? You don’t need to buy those tiny store-bought bottles to have a bubble-blowing extravaganza. Making your own bubble solution at home is super easy, incredibly cheap, and honestly, way better.
If you’ve got a free afternoon, some basic ingredients, and kids who need to burn off some energy, this is the perfect outdoor activity. Plus, with a few simple bubble experiments thrown in, you can sneak in a little science learning while everyone’s running around the backyard.
Why Make Your Own Bubble Solution?
Homemade bubble solution is not only fun to make, but it also creates stronger, longer-lasting bubbles than the stuff you grab at the store. When you make it yourself, you can tweak the recipe to get the perfect balance of strength and stretch. And if your kids are anything like mine, you’re going to need a LOT of bubble mix to keep the fun going.
This recipe uses just a few common ingredients, and you can double it easily for bigger groups or bubble parties.
Easy Homemade Bubble Solution Recipe
Ingredients:
- 4 cups warm water
- ½ cup dish soap
- ½ cup corn syrup or glycerin (this is the secret to making your bubbles extra strong!)
Instructions:
- Pour the warm water into a large bowl or container.
- Slowly stir in the dish soap, being careful not to create too many bubbles while mixing.
- Add the corn syrup or glycerin and gently stir until fully combined.
- Let the mixture sit for at least an hour.
Try messing with the recipe and seeing which mixture makes the longest lasting bubbles! My kids LOVE competing to see whose bubbles last the longest.
DIY Bubble Wands
You can definitely use the plastic bubble wands you’ve got lying around from old bottles, but making your own is more fun. Here are a few easy ideas:
Pipe Cleaner Wands: Twist a pipe cleaner into a circle and leave a “handle” on the end. You can make fun shapes like hearts, stars, or even squares!
Straws and String: Thread a piece of yarn through two straws and tie it into a loop. Dip the whole thing into your bubble solution and pull it through the air to make giant bubbles.
Cookie Cutters: Dip metal cookie cutters into the bubble mix and gently blow through them or wave them around.
Backyard Bubble Experiments
If you want to make your bubble day educational, try adding in these simple bubble science experiments:
Bubble Races: Blow a bubble onto a flat surface like a table or a cookie sheet and see who can gently blow theirs across the finish line first without popping it. This is a great way to learn about air movement and gentle force.
Shape Test: Try making wands in different shapes (circle, square, triangle). Ask your kids what shape they think the bubbles will be. Spoiler: they’re always round, no matter the wand shape! This is a fun intro to surface tension and why bubbles form spheres.
Bubble Bounce: Put on cotton gloves and see if you can catch and bounce bubbles without them popping. Talk about why some surfaces pop bubbles and others don’t.
Biggest Bubble Contest: Challenge everyone to make the biggest bubble they can. Try different techniques and tools to see what works best. It’s a great way to encourage creative problem-solving.
Bubble Wall: Dip a large string wand into the solution and slowly pull it up to create a vertical bubble sheet. You can even poke your finger through gently and see what happens!
What Kids Learn from Bubble Play
Bubbles are science in action! While they play, kids are learning about:
- Surface tension and how liquids hold together.
- Shapes and why bubbles always form spheres.
- Air pressure and wind as they chase, blow, and pop bubbles.
- Cause and effect, testing out different tools and seeing what works.
- Problem-solving as they tweak their wands or techniques to make bigger and better bubbles.
Plus, there’s all the motor skills practice that comes with dipping, swirling, running, and chasing. It’s truly the perfect mix of learning and play.
