Today was one of those rare but wonderful late September days that felt more like summer than fall. And not wanting to miss out on a minute of sunshine, my daughter and I spent the entire afternoon in the backyard, enjoying one last taste of summer. And any sunny afternoon in the backyard would not be complete without bubbles! Bubbles are a wonderful activity to promote hand-eye coordination and visual tracking. And they are endlessly entertaining for a wide range of ages. So don’t pack the bubbles away just because summer is over. Sunny autumn days make for wonderful bubble blowing, particularly if it is a little breezy outside.
The glycerin in this bubble recipe makes the bubbles stronger, allowing you to blow bigger bubbles that don’t pop as easily...
Super-Duper Bubble Solution
½ cup Dawn or Joy dishwashing liquid
4 cups water
2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons glycerin (available over the counter at most pharmacies)
Combine ingredients and store in a leak-proof container with a lid. The longer you let the solution sit before using it, the bigger the bubbles will be. Have fun!
To make your own bubble wands…
· Form the end of a pipe cleaner into a loop, leaving the remainder of the pipe cleaner as a handle. Or for bigger bubbles, use one pipe cleaner to make the loop and another to form the handle.
· Straighten a wire coat hanger and form the end into a loop. Wrap ends of coat hanger several times with duct tape to prevent pokes or scratches.
· Use a clean, never used fly swatter as a bubble wand. All those tiny holes make for oodles of little bubbles!
And a fun little twist…
· Young babies love to watch bubbles, and this is a great way to promote visual tracking skills. To make the bubbles easier to see, add a few drops of food colouring to your bubble solution. Helpful hint: Although older children will love coloured bubbles as well, you may wish to avoid adding colour if you have a toddler who likes to “help” and ends up dripping in bubble solution (like my daughter inevitably does!).
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