54 votes

Have you played with bubbles recently?

Seriously!

My husband brought me a tiny little bubble wand he got as a party favor and it somehow has managed to provide me with hours of entertainment. It's kind of perfect for me because it gets me to stop thinking about all the shit I'm worried about and instead get out of my head. Here's some fun things to do if you're looking for a fun time.

Games you can play with bubbles

Bubble catcher

Catch bubbles with the wand. Try to get it directly in the loop for maximum fun.

Bubble bouncing

If you've made small enough bubbles, you can use a bubble you've caught to bounce other bubbles with! I notice that

Bubble multiplication

Catching a bubble on your wand re-establishes the surface area needed to blow bubbles with! Turn one bubble into 20!

Your homework

Go buy some bubbles and report back so I don't feel like a crazy person.

25 comments

  1. delphi
    Link
    I'd like to subscribe to all future entries under the "whimsy.childlike" tag please

    I'd like to subscribe to all future entries under the "whimsy.childlike" tag please

    36 votes
  2. [7]
    davek804
    Link
    Catnip laced bubbles are a HUGE hit.

    Catnip laced bubbles are a HUGE hit.

    21 votes
    1. [3]
      Akir
      Link Parent
      WHAT. Can someone lend me a cat?

      WHAT.

      Can someone lend me a cat?

      10 votes
      1. [2]
        balooga
        Link Parent
        Not a cat owner either, how does that work exactly? The cat jumps for the bubbles?

        Not a cat owner either, how does that work exactly? The cat jumps for the bubbles?

        3 votes
        1. DefinitelyNotAFae
          Link Parent
          Yes, and pop it and then are interested because of the catnip scent in chasing future ones. And then being cute and confused that they popped it.

          Yes, and pop it and then are interested because of the catnip scent in chasing future ones. And then being cute and confused that they popped it.

          12 votes
    2. sparksbet
      Link Parent
      ooooh this is an excellent idea

      ooooh this is an excellent idea

      4 votes
    3. [2]
      chundissimo
      Link Parent
      Oh now THIS is a good idea. Do I just soak catnip in bubble water?

      Oh now THIS is a good idea. Do I just soak catnip in bubble water?

      2 votes
      1. davek804
        Link Parent
        Ah, maybe. I happened to find it as a little vial with a tiny bubble maker at the local pet store. Looks like DIY is a thing: https://meowhoo.com/how-to-make-catnip-bubbles/

        Ah, maybe. I happened to find it as a little vial with a tiny bubble maker at the local pet store.

        Looks like DIY is a thing: https://meowhoo.com/how-to-make-catnip-bubbles/

        2 votes
  3. [2]
    goose
    Link
    As a dad of a 2 year old, 6 year old, and 8 year old, I'm hard pressed to go longer than 3 days without playing with bubbles. Bubbles got us through COVID. I would buy stock in bubbles if I could.

    As a dad of a 2 year old, 6 year old, and 8 year old, I'm hard pressed to go longer than 3 days without playing with bubbles. Bubbles got us through COVID. I would buy stock in bubbles if I could.

    12 votes
    1. GOTO10
      Link Parent
      That's ill advised. 🌷

      would buy stock in bubbles

      That's ill advised. 🌷

      9 votes
  4. Baeocystin
    Link
    I used bubbles to break the ice between a puppy meeting an older dog at a new home just last week! 5 minutes of pouncing together on the soapy fun, and it was like they'd known each other for...

    I used bubbles to break the ice between a puppy meeting an older dog at a new home just last week! 5 minutes of pouncing together on the soapy fun, and it was like they'd known each other for years. A lot of fun for the humans involved, too. :)

    9 votes
  5. [5]
    skybrian
    Link
    After seeing someone else do it at the beach, we made our own bubble mix for creating giant bubbles, from an online recipe. This was to entertain our niece, but of course we had to try it out...

    After seeing someone else do it at the beach, we made our own bubble mix for creating giant bubbles, from an online recipe. This was to entertain our niece, but of course we had to try it out ourselves first.

    8 votes
    1. [4]
      Akir
      Link Parent
      Is there a secret ingredient? All I’ve ever used for homemade bubble mixture is dishsoap and water.

      Is there a secret ingredient? All I’ve ever used for homemade bubble mixture is dishsoap and water.

      2 votes
      1. [2]
        skybrian
        Link Parent
        Guar gum is the special ingredient I remember. There are various recipes online but I don't remember which one we followed.

        Guar gum is the special ingredient I remember. There are various recipes online but I don't remember which one we followed.

        12 votes
      2. tanglisha
        Link Parent
        I've seen it with glycerin added.

        I've seen it with glycerin added.

        3 votes
  6. sparksbet
    Link
    I actually just played with bubbles with my 4-year-old niece and we had a blast! She likes trying to catch bubbles on the wand again, which can be kinda tough if it's windy.

    I actually just played with bubbles with my 4-year-old niece and we had a blast! She likes trying to catch bubbles on the wand again, which can be kinda tough if it's windy.

    7 votes
  7. chocobean
    Link
    Love bubbles they're super fun. Challenge: make a cube bubble Challenge: fill a bubble with fog/smoke One of my other favourites: blowing bubbles through a towel to create dense foam

    Love bubbles they're super fun.

    Challenge: make a cube bubble

    Challenge: fill a bubble with fog/smoke

    One of my other favourites: blowing bubbles through a towel to create dense foam

    6 votes
  8. snake_case
    Link
    Some kids had bubble machines at the last No Kings protest so us and everyone walking around is played in the bubbles for the entire 5km was awesome def recommend

    Some kids had bubble machines at the last No Kings protest so us and everyone walking around is played in the bubbles for the entire 5km was awesome def recommend

    5 votes
  9. tobii
    Link
    Thank you so much for this post

    Thank you so much for this post

    4 votes
  10. kfwyre
    Link
    Literally just finished playing with bubbles with my nephew. Tons of fun! His dad got him like, a bubble gatling gun that creates a whole bunch of bubbles all at once, so he likes to take it and...

    Literally just finished playing with bubbles with my nephew. Tons of fun!

    His dad got him like, a bubble gatling gun that creates a whole bunch of bubbles all at once, so he likes to take it and spray it at you, and he also loves it when we spray them above his head and they float down all around him.

    4 votes
  11. happimess
    Link
    Bubbles are awesome! Right up there with magnets for reminding you how absurd it is that any of this exists. Here's a fun trick: Blow a bubble inside another bubble. You blow a largish bubble,...

    Bubbles are awesome! Right up there with magnets for reminding you how absurd it is that any of this exists.

    Here's a fun trick: Blow a bubble inside another bubble. You blow a largish bubble, then purse your lips and get close and aim a quick sharp puff of air right at its side. If you do it right a second bubble bounces freely inside the outer one.

    2 votes
  12. first-must-burn
    Link
    My sister has a set that has a bucket for the soap and the wand is two sticks with fluffy ropes between them. Something similar to this set on Amazon. They hold a lot of soap, so they make huge...

    My sister has a set that has a bucket for the soap and the wand is two sticks with fluffy ropes between them. Something similar to this set on Amazon. They hold a lot of soap, so they make huge bubbles. They are super fun.

    1 vote
  13. [2]
    Habituallytired
    Link
    Surprisingly enough, this is relevant to me! I was at Disneyland last week and discovered that bubbles are my new nemesis. Children with bubble wands at the same height as me in a wheelchair/ECV...

    Surprisingly enough, this is relevant to me!

    I was at Disneyland last week and discovered that bubbles are my new nemesis. Children with bubble wands at the same height as me in a wheelchair/ECV kept getting bubbles in my face to the point that I actually needed to use the eyewash station at the parks.

    Bubbles are fun, but not when you're trying to get around accessibly and there are bubbles everywhere, guard your eyeballs.

    1 vote
    1. Akir
      Link Parent
      It took me a very long time of me pondering why these children are in super tall ECVs for your me to get your meaning.

      It took me a very long time of me pondering why these children are in super tall ECVs for your me to get your meaning.

      1 vote