Bouncing bubbles recipe
Make extra strong bubbles you can catch and bounce from everyday kitchen ingredients
These aren’t your regular bubbles - this easy recipe makes them stronger so they can be caught on your hands, bounced from surface to surface, and even passed between players.
You'll love experimenting to see how many times you can bounce a bubble before it bursts, or testing which surfaces are the most bubble-friendly.
The secret ingredient? Sugar (or glycerin / corn syrup)! This strengthens the soap film by slowing down how quickly water evaporates, making the bubbles thicker and more elastic - helping them bounce instead of popping right away.
Plus wearing soft gloves or socks on your hands to reduce the oils that pop bubbles.
It’s a little science, a lot of play, and guaranteed fun for all ages!
Tips:
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Remember to mix the solution gently so it doesn't get foamy
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Try not to hit the bubbles hard, just catch them gently
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Smaller bubbles worked best for us. When they were too big, they just popped straight away.
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The type of material you use counts! We found this worked best when you use smooth gloves or socks (no bumps or lint) and make sure they're dry. If your sock / glove starts to get soaked, switch it out for another one to keep the magic going.
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We tried this with both sugar and glycerin. We found glycerin made stronger bubbles, but sugar worked ok too. If you're using warm water, wait for it to cool down. The mix also gets stronger the longer you leave it.
Materials
Prep / make
Step 1:
If using sugar, pour it into a bowl and mix it well with the warm water till it dissolves. Otherwise, if using glycerin or corn syrup, just mix well with cold water.
Step 2:
Add dish soap and mix gently so you don't create foam.
Step 3:
If using warm water, wait for it to cool down. If you can, let the solution sit overnight or for a few hours for stronger bubbles.
Step 4:
Put the dry socks or gloves on your hands, ready to catch and bounce!
Step 5:
You may want to experiment with the mix or choice of material first before getting the kids involved. This took a bit of trial and error to work! Check out the extra tips in the description if you're bubbles aren't bouncing right away.
Play
Step 1:
Dip your wand into the mixture.
Step 2:
Blow bubbles and try to catch them on your gloved hand or soft surface. Try not to hit them too hard, just catch and raise your hand gently so they bounce and don't pop.
Step 3:
If your glove / sock gets too soaked, replace it with another one to keep the magic going.
Extend
Colour Bubbles: Add a tiny drop of food colouring to make tinted bubbles.
Surface test: Try land them on different surfaces to see what happens - e.g. a towel, or grass.
Science Talk: Discuss why the added sugar makes the bubbles stronger.
