You quite simply can’t go wrong with children and bubbles, no matter the age. My favorite are the soap-free, sugar-based bubbles from Gymboree, since I don’t need to worry about stray bubbles popping near Travis’s eyes or mouth. These bubbles also have the uncanny ability not to pop while you catch them on your fingers, toes, or the ground.
Our favorite place for bubbles is in the tub, but in the interest of privacy, I didn’t want to take photos during bath time! So one sunny afternoon this week we brought the fun outside. It was quite windy, which meant Travis had to chase down the bubbles, quite different from when we blow them indoors! He seemed to enjoy the exercise involved, even if the pay-off of catching a bubble was not as apparent.
Once he tired of running after bubbles, he wanted a turn with the wand! He first asked to blow bubbles himself about two months ago, and still hasn’t quite gotten the hang of it.
What I love is his reaction when he lifts the wand to his mouth, attempts to blow, and nothing happens. Instead of getting frustrated, he says “I missed!” or “We tried!” – the two phrases I use when accidents happen around the house or events don’t go as planned. I hope that by saying these phrases with a light tone and a smile, Travis will learn how to manage his emotions when things go wrong, and to see that sometimes life is about trying but not succeeding, and that’s okay.
Sorry to get a little heavy-handed in a blog post about bubbles! Needless to say, we tried and succeeded perfectly well with this activity today in terms of fun and joy.
joyful parenting 