Summer is finally here in Northeast Ohio. While we can’t go to all the places we usually visit this time of year, why not use this season to enjoy some of the simpler pleasures outdoors in our own backyards?
The grandkids will love an old fashioned activity that has been shared throughout the generations — bubbles. What is summer without bubbles? It’s an inexpensive, simple activity at home that the grandkids will enjoy doing and creating memories with you.
Good, Clean Fun
Children of all ages enjoy blowing bubbles. The youngest child will squeal with delight at seeing bubbles float in the air. Store purchased bubbles are inexpensive, come in all sizes, and wands are included inside the containers. There are bubble makers now available that will deliver thousands of bubbles at a time.
The children love to run through the bubbles and try to catch them before they burst. You can purchase an inexpensive small bottle of bubbles and replace the solution when depleted with your own homemade bubble version. Older children will enjoy helping to make their own bubble solutions and a variety of sized wands.
A simple homemade basic bubble solution consists of the following three ingredients: 6 cups of water, 1 cup of dish soap and ¼ cup of corn syrup. Add the soap last and stir carefully, trying not to let foam or bubbles form. The trick to making bubbles is to let them “marinate” and let the solution just sit overnight or for a few days before using it.
Make small wands by wrapping pipe cleaners around the top of sticks to form a circle. Popsicle sticks, a dowel rod, or even sticks from your yard will work well. You can get fancier and have the grandkids use beads to string onto the pipe cleaners to decorate before attaching to the wand stick.
Bigger and Better
Create huge bubbles. These supergiant bubbles are fun to make and to watch to see how far they will float before they burst. Follow this recipe for giant bubbles, which will create a much stronger bubble: 6 cups of water, ½ cup of dish soap, ½ cup of corn starch, 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1 tablespoon glycerine.
Dissolve the cornstarch with water and stir well. Then add the remaining ingredients, being careful not to create froth. Of course, you now need a larger wand to form your giant bubbles. Make a homemade one using two drinking straws. Thread yarn through the straws (6-8 times the length of one straw) and tie a knot to connect all together. You should end up with a rectangle approximately 12 inches by 24 inches. Pour your bubble solution into a shallow baking pan or an 11 inch by 14 inch Pyrex baking dish to load your giant bubble.
Bubbles are used more than just for playing; they can be an art form. Add some paint to your bubble solution and blow the bubbles onto a sheet of paper to create a unique art project. For colored bubbles, using the basic bubble solution recipe, make sure to use light corn syrup and Dawn Pure Essentials dish soap. Both of these will give the final solution a clear color. Separate into small containers if you want multiple colors and add 3-5 drops of food coloring to each. I suggest doing your bubble art outdoors and place newspapers underneath or do it on the grass; this can be messy.
More Ideas
Our favorite bubbles are the bouncing bubbles. Tell the grandkids to bring along their winter mittens; they’ll need to wear them to play with these bubbles. This recipe makes a small quantity of solution, but it goes a long way. Again, just a few ingredients: 4 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon concentrated dish soap and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Yes, sugar. The sugar slows down the water evaporation and the gloves keep the bubbles from coming in contact with the oils in our skin. These bubbles will bounce, stick on tables and plants for a long time without bursting, and you can gently bounce them back and forth with your gloved hands.
Enjoy your summer and spend a special day making bubbles.
A Recipe for Fun
Basic Homemade Bubble Solution
6 cups of water
1 cup of dish soap (such as Dawn)
¼ cup of corn syrup
Add the soap last and stir carefully, trying not to let foam or bubbles form. Let marinate overnight or for a few days before using to ensure sturdy bubbles.
Karen Shadrach is an on-the-go, in-the-know grandmother of two sets of twins. Read her grandparenting blog at northeastohiothrive.com
