Bubble Science Experiments for the Big Kids

I think all moms can agree that Real Mom Life isn’t quite how it looks in the stock photos or on Pinterest or Instagram. Instead of pristine white couches, you’ve got cracker crumbs in your cushions. Instead of Mom Laughing While Serving Her Kids Veggies, it’s Mom Crying While Cleaning Up Half of a PB&J That Was Flung Across the Room. Instead of fun times doing a cute craft, it’s “why am I even trying to do this when they lose interest in 30 seconds?”

Knowing all of this, I instructed my husband to test out the Discovery Store’s Bubble Science Kit, which I was sent for a review, when I was out of town. He’s a scientist, and he was pumped to test out the bubbles. And bubbles + kids pretty much equals their heads exploding with joy. The kit is designed for kids ages 9+, so it’s a little mature for my kids who are 5 and under, but I figured with adult supervision they’d be golden.

When I got back from out of town, before he passed out cold in sheer exhaustion and relief that he had backup again, I asked him how the bubbles went. He gave me an image that reassured me that my Pinterest-craft fails weren’t my fault; it’s hard to concentrate and do technical things with young kids who are so endlessly curious that they will put all the hands in all the bubbles while another one toddles around with markers with the caps off. (See: non-pristine couch.)

Even though chaos ensued for us trying out our bubbles, it doesn’t take away the kick-ass nature of the set. For about $35, you get a kit with bubble concentrate, a 48-page manual chock full of bubble tips and trucks and 29 experiments, along with accessories needed for some of the projects. You’ll have to supply some items yourself for some of the experiments, like coins, paper clips and thread — along with some items that will likely require a trip to the store, like distilled water, glycerin and 1 meter of flexible wire.

While there are lots of experiments with making bubbles and giant bubbles, there is a lot to be learned here too for the science-minded kiddo. Kids will learn about surface tension, geometric shapes and how to conduct experiments. The book is a great guide, but also encourages creativity, which I love. It’s bound to be a bit messy, but it’s a perfect “toy” for warm summer days for outdoor play. Tip: Humidity is a friend to the bubble, so the higher the humidity, the longer the bubbles will stick around!

Have you ever done science projects that are just a little ahead of the age of your kids? Patience, it is a virtue! —Erin