How To Make a Super Bubble Wand

Remember these?

I learned how to make these giant bubble wands way back when I was a kid.  Okay, it wasn’t really that long ago, I mean, not like the black and white days when my parents were kids (I wasn’t the only kid who actually thought the world was black and white in “the olden days”, am I?), but, yeah, it was a few years ago…

I can actually remember watching Good Company (a local, Twin Cities “variety show” from 1982-94) and saying to myself “I can do that!”, and jumping up and doing just that; and now, if you’re good at, or at least reasonably capable of, following directions, you’ll be able to do it too!

Supplies

• 3/8″ dowel
• plastic ring or key ring, approx 1″ diameter
• 4 – 4 1/2 feet of heavy cotton or wool string or yarn
• a small washer, exact size not important
• wooden bead or wooden dowel end with 3/8″ hole
• glue (optional, depending on how snug your bead fits)

Step 1: After measuring and cutting your yarn, measure down approx 12-14″ and make a simple loop.  Put loop through ring, bend back over ring and pull both ends of yarn through loop, then pull snug.

Step 2: Slide ring onto dowel.

Step 3: Slide washer onto long end of yarn.

Step 4: Bring both ends of yarn together and line up with end of dowel.  Pinch everything together and push bead onto end, using glue if it doesn’t fit snug enough to stay put, or if you think your kids will pull it apart faster than you can say “hey, don’t pull on the bead!”… 

The bead keeps the ring from sliding off the end when you dip the wand into your bubble solution.  If you can’t find any big wooden beads around, it is possible to make the wands without it.  With our first wands this summer, I didn’t have any beads and I just wrapped a rubber band around a bunch of times to secure our yarn.  It still works, but you have to be careful during the dipping.

To use: Dip the wand, with all of its yarn, at an angle into some bubble solution.  We’ve used everything from a bucket, to a big Tupperware bowl, to pie pans… Lift the wand up, and as you lean it back the ring will slide towards you creating a V-shaped “loop” of yarn.  If it’s windy, just stand there and let the wind blow a bubble, if not, slowly move your arm and the air pressure will blow a bubble. Leaning the wand back down so the ring slides back and the yarn is brought back together “closes” the bubble to make giant round bubbles, or you can keep the wand moving and make super giant worm-like bubble shapes to fascinate young and old alike.  Try some of each!

Just in case you were wondering what would happen if you left the extra supplies out on the table in a room full of children with imaginations and a little time on their hands… 

Tagged as: activities, bubble wands, bubbles, DIY, summer fun