Simple & Easy Toddler Play: Bubble Addiction

Bubbles are a great way to spend quality time with a toddler and my kid is OBSESSED! I know other toddlers enjoy bubbles, but my son might have a problem :-P When I get him from his crib in the morning the first thing he says is "bubbles?".... repeatedly. Does this mean he has an addictive personality? Perhaps. I guess we'll know for sure in time. There's a bubble machine at Early Ed that got him started, so naturally we needed a bigger and better one for home :-P I don't buy many toys, his toy chest is mostly filled with items that could double as trash, (tissue boxes, old washcloths, and other such items that he finds joy playing with) so I splurged a bit with bubbles because he loves them so much. We got some regular jars of bubbles with wands and a large wand and tray, but due to his limited dexterity and ability to understand cause and spillage, these tiny bubble wands that we got at the Heart Walk have been a favorite!

First things first. There are a variety of excellent bubble recipes, but this one is my favorite: 

1c. distilled water

1T. Dawn dish-washing liquid

2T. glycerine

Gently mix. Of course I have to quadruple this recipe so that I have enough for a few goes in the bubble machine, but I like having small ratios so that you can easily make as much or as little as you would like. I also like that there are only a few incidents and you can use regular water if you don't have any distilled water. These bubbles last longer than the store-bought kind and they are super cheap to make!

I had bought a bubble machine that had a deep well, but the wands only skimmed across the very top, so it constantly had to be filled. I then purchased this one which is great! It blows bubbles for a long time and with a toddler attention span I rarely have to refill it during a bubble loving session. 

I'm considering purchasing this bubble "lawn mower" because I bet our son would be over the moon, but I'm trying to pace myself. 

This homemade "foam maker" was also a fun way to mix it up!

Bubbles can be as simple or as complex as you would like to make them. The important thing is to just get out there and spend time with your tot!

What's your favorite activity to spend quality time with your tot? What's your favorite bubble recipe and bubble device?