Bubble - How to: Solution, Wand, and Giant
Bubbles
You may have blown bubbles from a little bottle from a store. But have you ever blown giant, beautiful bubbles like a pro? It is not hard if you know a few secrets.
The Right Weather
Most people don’t know that the weather outside has a huge impact on the bubbles you make. The best time is right after a rain shower when the humidity is very high (the higher the humidity the better).
A cloudy day is better and late afternoon near dusk is good. The reason is that bubbles in the air pop when they dry out (usually before the bubbles even have a chance to pop from touching something sharp).
So remember the rhyme “Wetter is Better.”
The Right Mix
The pre-made bubble you can buy mixes are usually good but it gets too expensive to have enough to make really big bubbles. This is a better formula for bubble fun.
- 1/2 gallon Distilled water
- 8 ounces Ultra Joy or Ultra Dawn
- 1 Tablespoon Glycerin
Three things to note:
- Distilled water is best. You can get it at a grocery store. Distilled water works better than regular tap-water because it is purer and because it is “soft.” That means that it doesn’t have minerals dissolved in it.
- Most bubble experts suggest Ultra Joy or Ultra Dawn by name instead of any other brand.
- Glycerin is available in the skin care section of most pharmacies. It is the “magic” ingredient that makes great bubbles possible. It slows down the evaporation of the water in the mix and makes the bubbles much stronger and long lasting.
Bubble from Your Hands
Put your fingers together so they form an opening like the one in the picture below. Dip your hands in a bowl of bubble solution to get a bubble film. If you blow gently, you can make bubbles up to two feet in diameter.
Bubble Wand
You can make a wand out of wire (coat hangers work well). Twist it into a shape like the one in this diagram.
Blowing Giant Bubbles
First you will need to make your wand (see the diagram).
Hold the wand by one of the straws and dip it into the soap solution, take it out slowly and wave it gently make large bubbles. Don’t blow just move the straws and the air will do the work for you.
