Category: Bubbles

Giant Bubble Wand

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I’ve been eyeing this project for over a year, but it looked too technical and difficult so I kept tabling it for another day; parents and caregivers, I’m here to reassure you not to be daunted! The wand was so simple to put together, and the result is fantastic. With 80 degree morning sunshine on our back patio, how could we not pop out for bubble play?

To make the wand, insert a push pin into one end of each of two dowels; a twisting motion works better than pushing, so you don’t bend the plastic bit by accident. Leave a little space instead of pushing the pins all the way in, as shown.

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Cut a four foot length of yarn, and tie one end to one exposed push pin. Insert that push pin fully to hold the yarn. Loop the yarn through a metal washer, then tie around the other exposed push pin.

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Finally, cut a smaller length of yarn (about 18 inches), and tie a few inches below the dowel on each side – you’ll wind up with a triangle shape when the dowels are held apart. This is now your wand.

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To make the bubble solution, combine dish soap and water in a 9-to-1 ratio – I used 1/3 cup dish soap and 3 cups water.

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I showed Travis how best to dip the wand for the first few tries.

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Wave it in the wind, and you’ll discover that this thing makes serious bubbles!

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It was hard for him to get the hang of holding a dowel in each hand, instead of gripping it with one hand, but that didn’t stop him from loving the mere sensation of wand and bucket.

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When we tired of bubbles, the wand made a fantastic “mop” for the patio, which kept Travis happy in the sunshine for quite some time.

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Bubbles Bubbles Bubbles

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toddler 11 (1)

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.

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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.

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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.

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