Calming our Minds and Bodies: Yoga, Stretching & Breathing Activities

Bubbles have been found to have a calming effect on children and adults. By blowing bubbles slowly, we are developing our deep breathing techniques that help to calm our bodies. In addition to the sense of calmness that bubbles can create, some other added benefits of bubble play include: improving hand-eye and foot-eye coordination, visual tracking skills, spatial awareness and a sense of direction, gross motor movement, balance, and muscle tone development. Lastly, bubbles are also a great way to get moving and have fun for all ages.

Child blowing bubbles.

You will need:

  • Bubble solution
  • A container to dip into
  • A wand to blow the bubbles

Next steps:

  • Dip your “wand” into the solution and blow.
  • Can you blow several bubbles at a time?
  • Try to blow the biggest bubble? The tiniest bubble?
  • Have someone else blow the bubbles and you try to catch them. Can you catch one on your finger without breaking it?

Bubble solutions are easily made with just a few basic ingredients found in most homes. Leaving the solutions overnight also produces less breakable bubbles. Try this recipe

  • 1 cup of water
  • ¼ cup of liquid dish detergent
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar

Place all ingredients into a container and gently mix together. Dip your “wand” in and blow.

For bigger, stronger bubbles that are more difficult to break and that you may even be able to catch, try this recipe:

  • 2 cups of water
  • ¼ cup of liquid dish soap
  • 1 tablespoon of light corn syrup
  • Thin gloves or mittens (only used to catch bubbles, so they don’t break as easily)

Mix all ingredients together gently. If you wear thin gloves or mittens, you may be able to catch the bubbles on your hand without breaking them.

Examples of some “Do-it-Yourself” bubble wands

  • Empty plastic containers (with the bottoms removed so you can blow through them)
  • Plastic cooking utensils with slots (slotted spoons)
  • Cookie cutters
  • Paper towel tubes
  • Rubber canning rings, or metal jar lid rings to dip
  • Pipe cleaners that you twist into loops and other shapes (you can twist more than one pipe cleaner together)
  • Plastic coated wire hangers (have an adult help bend these safely)

Source: Make Your Own Bubbles: (8 Recipes & DIY Wand Tips)