Maker Monday: Kids will love making these bouncing bubbles

This week’s Maker Monday project is extremely cool. Kids will love bouncing these bubbles on their hands like slow-motion jugglers, and you can teach them all about how it happens.

Here’s a bit of science to share with them: Bubbles are made from air wrapped by three layers — two layers of soapy film with a layer of water molecules trapped in between. Normally, the water evaporates quickly. That’s why bubbles don’t last long. But our “bouncing bubbles” recipe includes glycerin, which slows down the evaporation of the water and helps the bubbles last longer.

There are two other cool tricks involved: Wearing a knit glove or clean sock on your hand prevents oils and impurities from easily breaking the bubble, giving it the bouncing ability. Using distilled water also limits the amount of minerals, another strategy to keep the bubbles from popping too soon.

Just follow the step-by-step instructions below, reading all the way through before you begin. A note to kid makers: Please work with a parent or caregiver on this Maker Monday project. And though this project doesn’t involve any tools, always be careful when using tools of any kind — including scissors.

Maker Monday materials:

• 1 cup of distilled water
• 2 tablespoons dish liquid (we recommend Dawn, because it’s highly concentrated and tends to work best
• 1 tablespoon glycerin (can be found in craft stores or Walmart/Target stores that sell cake decorating supplies)
• a bubble wand (the kind that comes in a bottle of bubbles you’d buy at the dollar store)
• a knit glove, mitten or clean sock

Maker Monday instructions:

STEP 1: Measure the dish soap and glycerin, pour them into the cup of water and stir to mix.

STEP 2: Put the glove or sock on your hand.

STEP 3: Dip the wand into the liquid and gently blow a bubble, aiming the wand upwards so the bubble will rise up in the air.

STEP 4: Reach out with the glove and let the bubble land gently in the palm of your hand. Then lift your hand so the bubble bounces up and down.

Watching the bubble move up and down is truly mesmerizing!

Want more at-home fun creating cool stuff and making beautiful things? Check out more Maker Monday projects right here.

Do you have an idea for a Maker Monday craft project? If so, please share it with Kidsburgh! Send your maker activities to info@kidsburgh.org.