Bubbles!

Want a practically free way to have a blast with your children? Making and blowing bubbles with your kids is one of the most carefree pastimes imaginable - giggles guaranteed! And yet, blowing bubbles without knowing these simple bubble recipe secrets can turn your bubble fun into a "bust"! With these simple bubble recipe secrets, making super-sized long-lasting bubbles is a cinch.

What are bubbles? David Winsemius, MadSci Admin from The Mad Scientist Network gives us the answer:

"Bubbles are films of a solution stretched around some kind of fluid, usually air. The film that is easiest to make is a soap (or detergent) in water solution. The the film has thickness and an inside and an outside. Soap and detergent molecules are long thin molecules with many hydrogen atoms that attract each other. They have an electrically charged end that is attracted to water. The soap bubble surfaces have the soap or detergent molecules arranged so that they line up side by side. In the middle of the film is a water and soap solution."

You can purchase bubble mixture just about anywhere, from department stores to toy stores - but part of the fun of bubbles is you can make your own!!


Follow this simple recipe:

Materials Needed:
2/3 cup dish detergent (Dawn and Joy work best)
1 tablespoon glycerin (available at food or drug stores)
1 gallon of water

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients in bowl, pail or container. Allowing the solution to sit or age for 24 hours will increase the life of the bubbles.

You are now ready to make some awesome bubbles. All you need are a few tools to help shape and size the bubbles.Standard bubble blowing wands can usually be purchased with commercial bubble mixture but again you can create your own tools. Some examples are:

*Shape metal coat hangers make larger circular bubbles

*Floral wire can be shaped into circles of any size

*The end of a funnel can be dipped into solution and blown out

Here are some additional tips:

1. Adding glycerin to your bubble mix makes bubbles stronger. Glycerin can be found in your local pharmacy.

2. Use distilled water instead of tap water. Tap water tends to be "hard" and is not good for making bubbles. If yours is "soft", you have the perfect water for good "bubbleology".

3. Prepare your bubble solution in advance and store it overnight in the refrigerator before using it.

4. Dry surfaces pop bubbles, so make sure your bubble wand, your hands, and anything your bubble may touch is wet.

5. Let the bubble maker soak in the bubble solution a few minutes prior to using.

6. Clear any suds or foam from surface of mixture before making bubbles. Don't slosh the wand around in the solution. Suds and foam are "bubble-busters".

7. Overcast, cool and humid days are the best weather conditions for blowing bubbles. Avoid hot, dry or windy days, or at least find a shady spot out of the wind.

8. "Throw" bubbles, don't blow bubbles. Move your wand in a slow fluid motion.

9. Many small bubbles instead of one big one means you are probably blowing too hard.

10. Finish your bubble with a quick twist of the wrist to seal it before if flies away.

Adults and kids alike can learn these simple techniques to become expert "bubbleologists".

Note: Exercise care when children are using bubble mix. It can be very slippery on the ground, and will sting if it gets in the eyes.

Info from buzzles.com and kidsturncentral.com