"Wow!" Tristan said as he watched the man on the street corner make bubbles.
Big bubbles, little bubbles, tiny bubbles too. Bubbles from a wand, some landing on his shoe.
Bubbles in the air, bubbles on the ground, Bubbles blowing on the wind, making a popping sound.
Their colors like a rainbow, their shape so round and true. Bubbles, bubbles everywhere. Look - that one is blue."
Tristan thought to himself. "I just have to find out how to make those bubbles."
So, he walked up to the man and asked him how he did it.
"Excuse me, Sir," Tristan said. "I have never seen bubbles like that and I would really like to know how to make them. They are the most beautiful things I have ever seen."
The man stopped blowing bubbles, smiled, and said: "Why, thank you young man! When I was about your age, I saw someone blowing bubbles and, well, I asked how he made them. He told me and once I started, I just couldn’t stop. Just a minute, while I blow some more."
When he finished, he looked at Tristan, grinned, and said, "Would you like to try blowing some?" "Could I?" exclaimed Tristan.
Tristan took the wand, dipped it, moved it gently through the air, and the biggest bubble he ever saw rose into the sky. He squealed with delight. The man then explained some important things to remember when blowing bubbles.
"I can remember that," Tristan said. "But how do I make the solution and the wands." "Ah,"The man said in a whisper. "Let me blow some more bubbles and then I’ll tell you."
He then took a wand in each hand, dipped them, extended his arms, and began spinning. Soon there was a wall of bubbles. So many bubbles that Tristan couldn’t see the man anymore. Then he heard a laugh and POP!
Pop! … Pop! Pop! Pop! … Pop! Pop! … Pop! Pop! … Pop!
When the bubbles were gone, so was the man and lying on the sidewalk was a piece of paper.
Tristan bent down and picked it up. It was just what he needed to get started.
A Bubble Scientist’s Basic Guide
Pop! – Remember to experiment with the basic solution. A little more glycerin, sugar, or syrup can make a stronger bubble. Too much can ruin your solution. Pop! Pop! - If you need more just double, triple, or quadruple the ingredients. Pop! Pop! Pop! – Don’t forget what I told you earlier.
If you make your own bubble solution, pretend you’re a scientist, and experiment to make the mix that you like.
All solutions use Glycerin but it is expensive. Remember that you can use a light corn syrup (like karo) or even sugar.
It is best to make your mix and let it rest for a day. This helps make a stronger bubble. But don’t worry. You can use it as soon as you make it.
Store your mix in a tightly sealed container.
Pour your solution into a shallow tray or bowl for dipping your wand. Make sure it is a little bigger than the wand you are going to use.
Make sure your wand can soak up some solution for better bubbles. If you make a smooth wire wand, wrap it in cloth so it can suck up the solution.
Blow or move the wand through the air gently.
You can catch or bounce bubbles if you are careful. They usually pop from dust, dirt, or grease. So wear a light pair of gloves and go on a bubble hunt.
Don’t shake or stir your bubble solution too much when blowing bubbles.
Minerals or other additives in water can affect your solution. It is recommended to use distilled water or boil your water for several minutes and let it cool before using. (Don’t forget to have an adult boil the water).
HAVE FUN!
Basic Bubble Solutions Pop! Pour 1/4 cup liquid dish soap into a mixing bowl. Add 3/4 cup of water. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar into the mixture. (Glycerin or light corn syrup can be substituted). Gently stir your mixture until the sugar dissolves. Pop! Pop! Add 1/2 cup of water to your mixing bowl. Mix in 2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap. Stir in 1 tablespoons of light corn syrup. (Glycerin or sugar can be substituted). Pop! Pop! Pop! Dissolve 1/2 cup of soap powder into 1 cup of warm water. Mix in 2 tablespoons of sugar, light syrup, or Glycerin.
Remember – Don’t throw out your solution if it doesn’t work with a wand. Make Bubble-Falls. Take your solution outside and using a straw blow into the solution. Have fun with the millions of bubbles.
Basic Wands Be creative and use your imagination. Anything that holds the solution across it can be used as a wand. The bigger the wand – the bigger the bubble – the harder it is to blow. Try some things around the house. A slotted mixing spoon. A small strainer.
Make one Bend a pipe cleaner (chenille craft stem) into any shape and attach another for the handle. Have an adult bend a coat hanger into a circle (or any shape). Cover it with cloth for best results.
Take 2 straws and thread yarn through them. Make sure the knot is in one of the straws. Using the straws as handles dip the yarn into the solution. Gently remove it and move it through the air. It’s hard to do but when you get a bubble, it will be a GIANT BUBBLE.
"I can’t wait to get home," Tristan said as he ran down the street.
