Take one bored little person and a sink full of bubbles,
add a chair to stand on and you have endless hours of delight. Especially
if you throw
in few dishes to "wash."
Kids, big and little, love
bubbles. Blowing bubbles, taking a bath
in them or playing in a sink full of them it doesn't
matter, kids love
bubbles.
But bubbles can be more then just
a delightful way to entertain the
baby. These floating little gems can be a teaching tool
for parents. For
toddlers, bubbles are a wonderful sensory experience. They
can pat them
on their cheeks or throw them at you. They can blow them
and burst them.
All their senses get involved as the huff and puff to blow
one, watch
them float on the air and run to catch them.
Blow some bubbles outside on a
warm sunny day and you can discover
the shimmering colors of a rainbow. Have your child name
the colors he
sees captured in a bubble. Explain how two colors mix to
make another
color.
Explore different ways to make bubbles.
Ask questions - are bubbles
square or round? Can you blow round bubbles from a square
shape? This is
a fun way to introduce shapes. Try blowing them through
all kinds of
different objects. Square ones, berry baskets, triangle
shaped ones you
make yourself or even a clean flyswatter.
Want to teach direction? Learn
which way is the wind blowing? Just
blow some bubbles on a windy day and use a compass to find
out which
direction they are going in. Science can't get any better
than this and
you can do it anywhere you are. No fancy lab equipment
needed here!
Even older kids will want on the
fun. Can you measure a bubble? How
strong is a bubble? How many bubbles can they make in one
blow? Make a
graph showing boys against the girls and who blew the most
bubbles or
the biggest.
There is no two ways about it - bubbles are great fun
anytime, anywhere and for all ages. Carry some to picnics
and outings and you will fast become the favorite parent
there. Keep them in the car for stuck in traffics times or
while waiting for a bigger sibling at a sporting event.
Blow bubbles at the baby and watch those tears dry up and
the smiles come out. Add some bubble bath to mom's bath
and watch her smiles come out after a long day! Fun
doesn't get any simpler than this.
copyright Belinda Mooney - Do not use without permission
Add some fun with the Bubble Book. This book
from
Klutz comes with a Bubble Maker wand that makes gigantic size bubbles. This
will keep your kids busy for hours.
Note - It is hard to make bubbles in a strong wind. And
if you have a
young child they may be too short to use it. My 3-year-old was too short.
Make your
own Bubble Mix
You will need:
4 tablespoons glycerin
(available in drugstores)
1 cup liquid dish detergent -Joy works well
10 cups water
Mix together and enjoy!
Feeling adventurous now? Why not make some colored bubbles - all you will
need is:
1 cup granulated soap or soap powder (Ivory
Soap powder)
1 quart warm water
Liquid food coloring
Dissolve the soap in warm water then stir in a few
drops
of food coloring.
Need something you don't see? Just let me know and I will try and help!
