Blowing bubbles

Every kid, no matter what age and expecially my grandson, loves blowing bubbles. So on a lazy September Friday the 13th afternoon, spend some time blowing bubbles and enjoying the simple pleasures of life. We defy you to find an exception. On a sunny day, it's a wonderful activity, whether it's just you and your grandchild or a whole gang of little ones. We have assembled our favourite bubble tricks, tips, and activities to help you make bigger, more colourful  more exciting bubbles together. Don't forget your camera! Bubbles make for great photo ops, too. Here are some ideas for playing with bubbles from  grandparents.com

Make Your Own Super Bubbles
Follow this recipe to make super strong bubbles. Add food colouring for extra fun. You will need:
1 package unflavoured gelatine
1 cup just-boiled water
1 1/2 to 2 ounces glycerine (available in the skin care aisle or at health food stores)
8 1/2 ounces Johnson’s Baby Shampoo
Stir the gelatine into the hot water until it’s dissolved. Mix in the glycerine and shampoo, gently stirring. The solution will gel as it cools.

Create Bubble Art Together

This project is messy, so do it outside or in a room prepared with newspaper or a tarp. You will need:

• Bowls for bubble solution
• Bubble solution
• Tempera paints in multiple colors
• Paper for your art

Set out one bowl for each color of paint you will use. Pour one cup of solution into each bowl, then add a teaspoon of tempera paint to each. Stir. Have your grandchild select a color and blow a bubble toward you. Your job is to "catch" the bubble, so it pops on the paper. The bursting bubble creates a unique splatter. Layer colors to make cool patterns. Switch roles and have fun seeing what designs you can create.

Make Your Own Bubble Wands

Wire hangers: Use pliers to stretch the hanger into a circle or oval. Be sure to cover any sharp edges with duct tape to prevent scrapes. For better bubbles, wrap the wand in cotton string or pipe cleaners, which will absorb liquid and allow you to blow bigger bubbles. Six-pack holders and produce baskets: Shapes like these make for amazing compound bubbles because they have multiple holes. Your fingers: This is a fun trick you and the kids can practice. Make an "OK" sign with your hand and dunk your finger-thumb circle into the solution. Blow through your hand wand. Use your imagination: Look around the house for plastic items with holes that you can try.

Blow Bubbles Within Bubbles

It's neat to show kids how you can blow bubbles inside bubbles (and even bubbles inside those bubbles). It's easy: Pour bubble solution into a shallow dish. Dip one end of a straw into the mixture, slowly blow a bubble, and rest it on the surface of the solution. Wet the straw end again in the solution and gently penetrate the bubble with it (a dry straw will pop the bubble). Repeat the first step to create a bubble inside the bubble. How many layers can you make?

Lava Lamp Experiment

This bubble science experiment is fun to do and watch. Make your own variations together. You will need:

• Clear pint glass or similar-size glass
• Water
• Vegetable oil
• Salt

Pour water into the glass until it is three quarters full. Add about 1/2 inch of oil to the water. It will float because it is less dense than water. Sprinkle salt into the glass and see what happens. Cool, right? Think of other powdery substances you can substitute for salt in the experiment — dirt, flour, sugar, etc. Is the effect the same, or does something different happen?