Celebrate the coming of Spring!   

Children of all ages (and adults) should play with bubbles because...

1.  Bubbles are fun and magical!

2.  They're fun inside and out! 

3.  They are a sensory experience - wet, slimy and sticky!

4.  They don't stain clothes or furniture.

3.  They help develop so many skills:

• Fine motor and eye-hand coordination. Pinching the wand, holding the bottle, trying to grab bubbles with one hand, getting their hands and eyes to work together.
• Vision. Tracking where the bubbles go, even during infancy. 
• Language. So much to talk about.
• Social skills.  Practicing taking turns and not bumping into each other.
• Oral motor.  Great exercise for children's mouths, helping to develop the muscles needed for speech. 
• Gross motor.  Running, jumping, kicking and reaching are all involved.
• Cognitive.  Perfect for illustrating concepts like up, down, high, low, small, large, near, and far.

Fun Ways to Play with Bubbles

1.    Start out with practicing - Give children a cup of water and a straw and have them make water bubbles.  You can use bubble solution but first use a pin to make a little hole near the top of the straw, so that children cannot inhale the bubble solution. 

2.    Little mouths may find it difficult to use a small bubble wand.  MAKE YOUR OWN out of pipe cleaners in all kinds of shapes, metal hangers (duct tape the hanger hook), plastic tubes of all sizes (watch for sharp edges), colanders, and anything with holes.

3.    Plastic bottle blowers (great for toddlers) - Cut off the wide end of a plastic water bottle, being sure to leave no points or rough edges. Stand the bottle in the shallow dish of bubble solution, allowing it to soak up solution for a few seconds. Blow on the smaller end.

4.  Have a bubble race. Blow many bubbles and see which one crosses the finish line first.
 5.    Bubble art - Set out one bowl for each color of paint you will use. Pour one cup of bubble solution into each bowl and add a teaspoon of tempera paint to each. Stir. Have the child select a color and blow a bubble toward you, but first use a pin to make a little hole near the top of the straw, so that children cannot inhale the bubble solution. Your job is to "catch" the bubble, so it pops on the paper. The bursting bubble creates a unique splatter. Layer colors to make cool patterns. Switch roles and have fun seeing what designs you can create.

6.    Eat foods with bubbles like Swiss cheese and pita bread.

Resources for this article:

11 Benefits of Playing With Bubbles, Click Here

Early Childhood News, "Bubble, Bubble, Pop! Exploring the Magic of Bubbles, Angie Dorrell