Explore Bubble Science

There’s a fantastic place way up in Vancouver, Canada called Science World. And we heard a rumor that they had the thickest, bounciest bubbles around. So we asked them how they did it. Here’s their recipe for bubbles that not only blow up nice and big, but do tricks and experiments!  How do they do it? It’s not a secret, it’s science!

All-Purpose Bubble Solution
This solution is great for most bubble tricks, activities, and experiments.

Ingredients:
1 part water to 1 part Johnson’s Baby Shampoo
Glycerin

Johnson’s Baby Shampoo produces much better bubbles than any of the dish detergents we tried. Mix the ingredients gently and let the solution stand for a couple of hours.


Bouncy Bubble Solution
You can bounce these bubbles off your clothes!

Ingredients:
1 package unflavored gelatin (ex. Knox brand)
1-cup hot water (just boiled)
1.5 – 2 ounces (50–70 ml) glycerin*
8.5 ounces (250 ml) Johnson’s Baby Shampoo

Dissolve the gelatin in the hot water. Add the shampoo and glycerin. Stir gently. This solution will gel as it cools. Reheat it carefully in the microwave (about two minutes).


Thick Bubble Solution
This goopy solution makes bubbles strong enough to withstand a puff of air.

Ingredients:
2.5 to 3 parts Johnson’s baby shampoo to 1 part water
Glycerin*

When you make a bubble with this solution, try puffing at it to make a bubble inside a bubble.

And now, a few words about glycerin, in case you’re curious. First of all, you can get it at most pharmacies and you only need a small bottle. What does it do, you ask? Glycerin helps soap bubbles hold water, so that they last longer. It’s very helpful if you’re doing bubble tricks, but less important if you’re mixing up a bucket of bubble solution for preschoolers to mess about with. How much is too much? Well, we’re not precise about it! Try 1–3 teaspoons for about a quart (or liter) of bubble solution.

Bubble Experimentation!
Once you’ve got your bubble mixes, put them into shallow baking dishes and get ready to experiment! Put a bunch of materials out so your child can try a variety of different tools, and make predictions about which will blow the best bubbles. Funnels, drinking straws, wire hangers bent into loops, pipe cleaners…all of these things work well. For a humongous bubble blower, thread a piece of string through two drinking straws and tie the ends together.

Challenge your child to come up with his own ideas, too. Then have everyone grab his or her favorite blowing tool and see who can blow the be-all bubble!