This fun and fizzy blog post has not one, but THREE ways to try creative and hands-on kids bubble experiments! Perfect as a preschool summer activity or a playful science twist on a sunny afternoon.
These kids bubble experiments are *it*
Blowing bubbles is fun, but experimenting with them? That’s next-level preschool magic.
In this triple-feature bubble experiment for kids, we’ll start by crafting our own pipe cleaner bubble wands in wacky shapes and testing which ones make the best bubbles.
Then, we’ll swap tools for something a little unexpected—our hands!—and try to blow a bubble using just bubble solution and a whole lot of careful breath.
Last, we’ll poke our fingers in a bubble without it popping!
Whether you’re indoors or out, this preschool summer activity is pure pop-tastic fun.
Can shapes change a bubble? Try these kids bubble experiments to find out.
We all know a circle wand makes a sphere bubble… but what about a triangle wand?
Will a heart-shaped wand give us love-filled puffs? Will a square make boxy bubbles?
This bubble experiment for kids is the perfect mix of STEAM exploration and playful silliness, and your preschoolers will absolutely love all of the creative fun ahead.
There’s more Summery science where this came from:
- Puffy shaving cream ice cream craft
- Totally awesome watermelon oobleck
- Lemonade water table with pretend ice
- Fizzing ice cubes
Materials
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- Pipe cleaners
- Bubble solution – mine is old from Target, but this bubble solution has outstanding reviews
- Small shallow tray
How to do kids bubble experiments
Experiment 1: Pipe cleaner bubble wand shape experiment
- Take one pipe cleaner and bend it into a U shape.
- Twist the top together to form a circle and wrap the extra length around itself to make a “lollipop” shape.
- Now the fun begins—reshape the top part into different shapes: triangle, square, heart, star, flower!
- Dip each shape into the bubble solution and blow through gently.
- Observe what shape the bubbles are. Spoiler alert: they’re all still spheres…but preschool minds will be BUBBLING with curiosity.
Experiment 2: How to blow a bubble with your hands
- Pour a small amount of bubble solution into a shallow container.
- Dip the bottoms of both hands into the solution.
- Press your hands together gently and slowly pull apart.
- A thin film should form between your palms—ta-da, you’ve made a hand-wand!
- Blow gently through the film and try to form a bubble in mid-air.
Experiment 3: Bubble poke
- Cover the bottom of one hand with bubble solution, blow a bubble, and catch it on that hand. It should not pop.
- Dip the pointer finger of your other hand in bubble solution poke into the bubble. It should not pop.
- Pull your finger out and watch how the bubble stretches!
Why are all the bubbles spheres?
No matter what shape you make your wand, bubbles always form into spheres.
Why?
Because the air inside of the bubble pushes out evenly in all directions, and a sphere is the most efficient shape to contain that pressure.
So even your most magnificent heart- or star-shaped pipe cleaner bubble wands will still make beautiful round bubbles—it’s just the science of surface tension doing its thing.
Let’s pop into even more fun kids bubble experiments
- Have a shape contest: Who can make the goofiest wand?
- Add a few drops of food coloring to the solution and see how it changes the film.
- Try blowing into the film using a straw to see if you can make double or even triple bubbles.
- Race to see who can make the biggest bubble.
- Try two different bubble solutions and compare the results.
- Make a jumbo pipe cleaner bubble wand using 3-4 pipe cleaners twisted together!
- Set a timer and challenge kids to make as many bubbles as possible in 60 seconds.
Add bubble vocabulary words
It’s easy to sneak in some literacy during your bubbly adventure.
Introduce preschoolers to words like “sphere,” “solution,” “film,” “air pressure,” and “surface tension.”
Use them casually during the activity—“Look at that thin film! Let’s see if your triangle wand still makes a sphere.”
This kind of playful exposure helps little learners build big vocabularies while having a pop-tastic time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Standard fuzzy pipe cleaners work great! The fuzz helps hold onto the bubble solution.
Yes! A mix of dish soap, water, and a little corn syrup or glycerin works wonderfully.
Bubbles naturally form spheres because it’s the most energy-efficient shape for the surface tension of the soap film.
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