Everybody Loves Bubbles

Bring Science and Art together

Bubble art is a fun way to bring art and science together. Children can experiment by making different bubble paints with differing colours, amounts of washing up liquid and amounts of water, to learn about the different shapes and sizes of bubbles that emerge.

Bubble paints

Fine motor skills

This activity helps your child to build strength in their fingers as they mix the solution and twist the pipe cleaners together.

A great excuse to get outside into the fresh air

This activity can get a little bit messy and you might prefer to do this in a tuff tray so that any spillages are contained. It’s definitely best enjoyed outside so that you can wash away any spillages with some water or the rain. Plus it’s a good excuse to get outside.

paint with bubbles

You will need

A tray or empty box
A cup
Washing up liquid
Washable paint
Water
A paper straw
Pipecleaners
Thick paper or card

Prepare

Mix a generous squirt of paint with a similar amount of washing up liquid to make some soapy paint.
Double the amount of soapy paint you have, by adding another 2 parts of water to the mix. Mix well to create bubbly paint.
Supervise the activity and make sure that your child understands that they are not to suck the liquid through the straw, or they will be in for a yukky surprise! Do not swallow the mixture. With younger children, you can make the bubbles for them.
Make the bubbles by placing your straw into the liquid and blowing air into it.

Mix bubbles and paint

Watch in amazement as the bubbles start to rise out of the cup.

The air rises up through the soapy paint mixture creating colourful bubbles.

Your child can create their own bubble art by placing their paper over the top of the cup, capturing the bubbles.
You can also make your own bubble wand by twisting pipe cleaners together to make shapes. Dip your wand into the solution and blow the coloured bubble onto your paper.
Allow to dry and re-create the process with a different colour!

Bubble art picture

5 Ideas for your bubble painting

Here are some creative ideas of what you can do with your bubble art to make different art.

Underwater background:

Use the painting as a background piece for drawing sea creatures, pond life or mermaids onto.

Make a bubble picture:

Draw various sized circles onto the paper using a compass or by drawing around various sized cups. Cut these out and make a bubble picture by arranging them on to a different coloured piece of paper or card.

Gift wrap:

Use your paper as it is for gift wrap, or to make gift labels with.

Make a greetings card:

Draw a shape onto the paper, such as a star or a heart and cut it out. You may need to supervise or cut these out for your child, depending on how old they are.