STEAM: Frozen Bubble Challenge

Blowing bubbles sure is a pleasing activity, and we here at the library think it’s perfect for kids and their grown-ups to enjoy together. While bubble blowing is typically reserved for spring or summer when temperatures are pleasant for running around outside, it's still something fun you can do during cooler days.

Once winter arrives, when temperatures drop well below freezing, your family has the chance to create different kinds of bubbles. We know sometimes when the weather gets cold, it can really dampen the mood. This is sure to brighten up everyone's day!

Here are some tips that are good to know for this activity:

First, the colder the weather, the better. The lower the temperature, the better and faster the bubble is going to freeze.
Second, frozen bubbles are best created on a day with no wind. Early mornings are often the best time for both colder temperatures and less wind.

Materials

1 cup of warm water
5 tablespoons of corn syrup
2 tablespoons of sugar
5 tablespoons of dish soap
Straws
A plastic container or bowl, preferably with a lid
A small plastic bottle that can be squeezed, such as a water bottle, along with playdough or clay (optional)

Making the Bubble Solution

Start by adding warm water to a container. Use water that is borderline hot for the other ingredients to dissolve properly.
Stir the corn syrup into the warm water until the water is almost clear.
Add the sugar to the mixture and stir thoroughly until it is fully dissolved.
Gently mix in the dish soap until it’s just combined. Don’t over-mix or you will end up with a bowl full of bubbles.
Set the container outside or in the freezer for 30 minutes to chill. You don’t want it to freeze; you just want it to be cold.

Blowing the Bubbles

There are several ways to blow the bubbles. You can just use a straw and your mouth, that would certainly be the more traditional way to blow bubbles.

But considering the cold weather and the fact that you want these bubbles to freeze quickly, it can work well to make a homemade bubble blower contraption. Take a look at this picture of one.

The general idea behind using an empty bottle such as this is that the air in the bottle is much colder than the air coming out of your mouth; that colder air will help your bubbles to freeze faster. And on a practical level, it will help keep your kids’ chilly faces better bundled up.

Feel free to use either playdough or clay to mold around the bottle opening to prevent air from escaping. The bottle can then be squeezed to mimic the action of blowing air from your lips.

Tips for Blowing the Bubbles

Blow the bubbles onto a cold surface. Blowing them directly onto a surface gives you the best chance of success for your bubble staying intact long enough to freeze.
Such surfaces that come highly recommended are snow, a flat table or a bench.
Dip your straw into the bubble solution and make sure to coat about 1” of the straw in that solution to make sure it has enough for blowing a relatively big bubble.
Hold the straw near, or on, the surface where you want the bubble to land.
Blow gently, and once the bubble has formed, quickly remove the straw from the bubble. It’s important to get the straw detached from the bubble before it begins to freeze. Once it begins the freezing process, the bubble becomes very delicate.

We hope these instructions and tips are quite helpful, but more than anything, have a lot of fun! Don’t grow frustrated if it takes you some time to get the hang of this; practice makes perfect with these frozen bubbles.