Bubbles!

The end of summer is always a busy time. That's the only excuse I can give for not finishing up my last Science and Swim post. The last event focused on one of my favorite watery things -- bubbles!

First up, we made bubble prints. It's really easy. Just water down washable paint with water -- anywhere from 25 to 50% paint, depending on what you're using. Then add a few tablespoons of dish soap. Mix well and place in a dish or pie plate. Use a drinking straw to blow bubbles in the liquid, then quickly place a piece of paper over top, popping the bubbles against the paper. Lift and enjoy your bubble print!

Another fun thing to do is to make a bubble blower for bubble snakes. Just cut the end off a water bottle and use a rubber band to attach some scrap cloth over the end. Dip the cloth in bubble mix and blow through the neck of the bottle. Voila! Bubble snake!

For the big finish we just had to do the classic giant bubble. Grab a kiddie pool and a hula hoop. In the pool make a mixture of 10 cups of regular Dawn dish detergent (not the antimicrobial kind) and 5 gallons of distilled water. Mix is well, but try not make bubbles or foam. Place the hoop in the pool and have a kid stand in it. With a person on either side, quickly life the hoop, creating a giant bubble around the person in the pool! Awesome!