Jumbo Bubble Fun

Have you ever met a child that does not love bubbles? Just getting out the bubble pot is enough to send little ones skipping around in delight. But bubbles are not just fun - they offer a surprising range of developmental benefits for young children at every stage.

Why Bubbles Are So Good for Children

Visual tracking. Watching a bubble float and drift is brilliant for developing visual tracking skills. Even very young babies will follow a slow-moving bubble with their eyes, which is exactly the kind of visual coordination they need later for reading.

Movement and coordination. Toddlers move, stretch, turn and reach to catch and pop bubbles, building muscle tone, balance and coordination without even realising it. Let them run freely in open space and the workout is genuinely impressive.

Fine motor skills. For children old enough to hold a wand, the act of grasping, dipping and blowing carefully is useful preparation for writing. It requires just the right grip pressure - too tight and the wand bends; too loose and it drops.

Oral motor strength. Blowing bubbles strengthens the muscles in the jaw, lips and cheeks, which directly supports speech clarity. It is one of the most enjoyable ways to build oral motor strength, which is why speech and language therapists often recommend it.

Calming effect. There is something genuinely soothing about bubble play - the slow focus, the gentle movement, the anticipation before the pop. For children who are feeling unsettled or overwhelmed, a few minutes of bubble play can help them regulate.

Early science. Older toddlers and preschoolers can start to wonder about why bubbles are always round, why they shimmer with colour, and what makes them pop. Surface tension is a real concept - you do not need to explain it in those terms, but the curiosity is worth encouraging.

Our Mega Bubble Mix

The secret to giant, long-lasting bubbles is soft water and a little patience when stirring.

• 12 cups of soft water (boiled and left to cool - this removes limescale)
• 1 cup washing up liquid
• 1 cup cornflour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder

Stir gently in a clean bucket, adding ingredients in that exact order. Use a large spoon to skim off any foam before you start - foam is the enemy of good bubbles. For best results, make the mix the night before and leave it to rest overnight in a cool place.

In Balham and across south London, tap water is quite hard. Boiling and cooling it first makes a real difference to bubble quality.

Making a Super Loop Wand

This is a project worth doing once and keeping - the wand lasts for years and makes bubbles that are genuinely impressive.

You will need:

• Two 1-metre dowelling rods with an eyelet screw in one end of each
• 3 metres of 100% cotton rope (synthetic rope repels the mix)
• Two metal washers

Tie the two washers into the centre of the rope to form the weighted bottom of your triangle. Thread the loose ends through the eyelets and secure about a third of the way down each rod. Tie the two loose ends together to complete the loop.

Dip the loop fully into your bubble mix, hold the rods together to close the loop, lift out slowly, then walk backwards while opening the rods apart. The air catches in the mix and enormous bubbles form behind you.

Tips for Different Ages

Under 18 months: Blow bubbles yourself for babies to watch and bat. Keep the pace slow. Do not worry about blowing - just watching and reaching is plenty.

18 months to 3 years: Small commercial wands are easier to manage than homemade ones. Focus on the dipping action and gentle blowing. Do not worry if bubbles are tiny or pop immediately - the process is what matters.

3 to 5 years: Children this age can begin to manage a larger wand and produce their own bubbles reliably. Introduce the loop wand and let them experiment with speed and angle.

Where to Play

Any outdoor space works for bubble play, but open spaces away from wind give the best results. Clapham Common and Tooting Bec Common are both brilliant for bubble sessions in good weather - wide open grass, room to run, and nothing to pop your bubbles prematurely.

We have a lovely outdoor space at Little Starlings in Balham where the children enjoy bubble play, outdoor games and fresh air every single day. If you would like to see it for yourself, book a tour.