Skip to main content

How to make homemade bubble solution in 2 easy steps

Entertain your kids all summer with this easy and affordable bubble solution

Child blowing bubbles in a playhouse
pikselstock / Shutterstock

It seems that everything is getting more expensive these days, especially when it comes to entertaining kids. Finding ways to keep the kids from boredom without breaking the bank can be challenging for any parent until they learn how to make homemade bubble solutions. Using homemade bubble solutions isn’t only a fun way for adults and kids to spend the day, but it’s also cost-effective. Once you learn how to make this easy and affordable solution, the fun will be endless.

If your kids love to play with bubbles and you’re tired of running to the store every time they empty (or spill) a bottle, here’s all you need to make a homemade bubble solution in two easy steps.

Recommended Videos

First, gather your ingredients

Toddler outside playing with bubbles
Leo Rivas / Unsplash.com

Although making homemade bubble solution isn’t very difficult, if you want to have the kind of bubbles that will be the envy of all the neighborhood kids, you’ll want a bit more than just dish soap and water. You’ll need dish soap (Joy or Dawn tends to work best), water, and some glycerin, a liquid sugar alcohol. You’ll also need a large bowl to mix your ingredients, bubble wands, and a tray for your bubble wand, and if you want to get adventurous grab an empty water or soda bottle to make bubbles.

Next, make your bubble solution

kid with bubbles in back yard
Johann Rösch / Unsplash

Create your homemade bubble solution by adding 4 cups of water, 1 cup of dish soap, and 1/3 cup of glycerin to your bowl and gently stirring. If you don’t have glycerin, you can also substitute with honey or corn syrup. The addition of glycerin, honey, or corn syrup is really the secret to bigger and longer-lasting bubbles.

“These viscous liquids reduce the surface tension of the water, which tries to pull the sides of the bubbles together and make them pop,” The Ontario Science Centre notes. “It also makes the bubble solution thicker. This thicker skin of the bubble keeps the water from evaporating quickly, making bubbles last longer.”

Choose your wand

Girl blowing bubbles
Hieu Hoang / Pexels

You can use a store-bought wand or make your own bubble blower to use with your homemade bubble solution. To make your own, simply cut the bottom off a plastic water or soda bottle and put a sock over the opening. Dip the sock into the bubble mixture then gently blow through the bottle opening and watch as you create a ton of fun! If you would rather use a wand, then grab a tray and pour some of the solution, and then dip your wand. For extra fun, you can add some food coloring to your solution to create different colored bubbles!

You may be surprised to see just how much your kids love playing with bubbles, especially if you get them involved in making their own homemade bubble solution. Experiment with different colors and wand sizes for an activity that’s not just a lot of fun, but easy on the pocketbook, too!

Kelli Catana
Contributor
Kelli is a freelance writer who has covered the world of entertainment, pop culture, parenting, and lifestyle for various…
10 effective tips to make co-parenting work after a divorce
These tips will help you stay sane and your child have a calmer parent
Parents with a child carrying a bag.

No one sets out to have kids and hopes it will end in separate homes, having to co-parent with someone who used to be on your team. Even the best co-parents run into situations where arguments and disagreements happen. To help keep your head on straight and get through the journey of co-parenting, follow these tips so your side of things stays fair.
Tips on how to be with your co-parent

We will stay in the neutral zone of divorce, but these are great tips even if you have a good co-parenting relationship. They are especially handy if you do not.
Communicate without emotion
To keep the kids out of the middle, practice communicating without emotion. Act like you are relaying information to a stranger who has nothing to do with the situation. Speak the facts, only respond to questions relating to custody, and leave all feelings at the door.
But make sure you communicate
If you would want the other parent to tell you about it, tell them. Put activities and appointments on the calendar, share school-related information, and let the other parent know anything you would want to know. This is not the same as sharing everything your child did, like how many times they went to the bathroom. But give the courtesy for the co-parent to have the knowledge about any information they couldn't get on their own or that you scheduled for the child.
Always listen
Even if you don't agree with a single word that comes out of the other parent's mouth, listen to what they say. Once you take emotion out of it, you might realize what they are saying isn't off base. Listen for comprehension, and don't just wait until they are done talking so you can start.
Tips on how to be with the kids

Read more
7 quiet road trip games for kids to keep them busy in the car
Family on a road trip

Can't wait to hit the road again? You're not alone. Family road trips are an amazing way to spend quality time and have a super-fun vacation any time of the year. The only problem is that the kiddos usually don't enjoy the time in the car quite as much as parents do, and when that happens, parents aren't happy, either.

Thankfully, the key is to keep the kids occupied. Of course, there are electronic diversions like iPads and streaming movies or listening to podcasts, but part of the fun of a road trip is car games. Remember those road trip games when you were a kid? Road trip games for kids are a perfect pick to help pass the time as the miles roll by and get them more invested in looking out the window to get a glimpse of the areas you're passing through. Sure, a rousing game of punch buggy is exciting, but the contact part will lead to tears and arguments.

Read more
12 inspiring Dr. Seuss quotes your child will love
Memorable Dr. Seuss quotes that inspire and make us smile
Mother reading a book to her daughter

Did you know how Dr. Seuss got his name? Seuss was actually his mom's maiden name. While he was a student at Dartmouth, Theodor Seuss Geisel got himself into a bit of trouble like many college students do. In his case, gin was considered bootleg in 1925. Yes, Dr. Seuss books have been around for a very long time. The dean at the time suspended Geisel from his editing duties at Dartmouth's humor magazine. In reality, the joke was on the dean because Geisel remained editor-in-chief and began using Seuss as his pen name. A few years passed before he tacked on the Dr.

Dr. Seuss published his first book, And to Think that I Saw It on Mulberry Street, in 1937, His manuscript was passed over 27 times. Imagine that, thought the Cat and the Hat. We cannot. Seuss would go on to publish and illustrate 86 books throughout his legendary career. Today, elementary kids celebrate his birthday, March 2, with a special week celebrating his books and those of his fellow children's book authors. With a career spanning more than 60 years, there are quite a few memorable Dr. Seuss quotes.

Read more