How to Make Giant Soap Bubbles

Bubbles bring smiles to children of all ages.

Long, summer days and nights can be filled with the sounds of backyard fun and laughter. When children aren't encumbered with the daily routines of schoolwork and extracurricular activities, they are free to enjoy the simple pleasures of play. Bubbles are one of those simple pleasures. And while manufactured bubble solutions won't break the bank, consider making a super bubble solution at home that creates giant bubbles.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 2/3 cup liquid dish-washing detergent
• 1 gallon distilled water
• 3 tbsp. glycerin
• Bucket
• Long-handled spoon
• Pipe cleaner
• Large baking pan
• Wire coat hanger
• Resealable jar or container
• 3 tbsp. white corn syrup

Glycerin Recipe

1. Pour dish-washing detergent, water and glycerin in a bucket or large bowl.

2. Mix the ingredients until they are thoroughly combined.

3. Twist the end of a pipe cleaner so it creates a circle and wraps back around the pipe cleaner, creating a wand with an open circle at one end.

4. Test the recipe by dipping the circle end of the pipe cleaner in the solution and wave it in the air, leaving a trail of small bubbles behind it.

5. Untwist a wire coat hanger and gently bend one end so it creates a large, open circle. Retwist about 1 inch of hanger back around the handle, completing the circle. The coat hanger wand will be a larger replica of your pipe cleaner wand.

6. Pour solution into a large baking pan and dip the coat hanger into the solution.

7. Hold the hanger in the air and wave it back and forth to create giant, full-formed bubbles.

8. Store any unused bubble solution in a resealable jar or container.

Corn Syrup Recipe

1. Pour dish-washing detergent, water and corn syrup in a bucket or large bowl.

2. Mix the ingredients until they are thoroughly combined.

3. Immerse bubble wands into the solution and create large bubbles.

4. Store any unused bubble solution in a resealable jar or container.

Tips & Warnings

• Some generic or store-brand dish-washing soaps do not work as effectively as Joy or Dawn.

• Blow the bubble solution through straws to create giant bubbles.

• If you have commercially manufactured bubble containers, keep the empty bottles and then refill them with your homemade bubble solution.

References

• Exploratorium: Bubble Formula
• American Chemical Society: Bubble Blowers

Resources

• National Wildlife Foundation: Bubble Fun
• Kaboose: Homemade Bubbles and Bubble Blower