Bubble Fun

Here in the South, it’s getting nice and warm. The days are longer, and kids are desperately looking forward to summer outside in the sun. Though appealing, the thought of living at the community pool all summer might get tiring even for my kids, who are like fish. So we have to devise other activities to keep us outside but maybe in a place where we can find shade. This is where bubbles come in.

Do you know anyone who hates bubbles? Something about blowing bubbles is absolutely fantastic at any age. It’s often even used in meditation and mindfulness practices for kids and adults! Therefore, with this activity, you will even be relaxing,

What do bubbles have to do with literacy, I hear you say?? It’s all about vocabulary and communication. This will work for any age, from your littlest to those studying for their SATs; we are all constantly building vocabulary. A diverse vocabulary allows you to communicate thoughts, ideas, and emotions. A better vocabulary means better writing and speaking.

Instructions:

This activity works so well because it’s absolutely for the whole family. It is all about the age of your reader. Are they pre-readers? A budding reader? An experienced reader? A forced reader? What do they enjoy reading? Nonfiction, fantasy, mystery?

Start with describing the bubble.

For infants who are not yet verbal, starting with the basics is best. Words like:

• clear

• big

• small

• circle

• light

For budding readers, go with words they’ve heard before, but that is more complex in meaning. Try starting with:

• fragile

• transparent

For an experienced reader who loves fantasy, get more descriptive. Challenge them to use words they’ve read or heard in movies or podcasts. Some good ones might be:

• opaque

• iridescent

• transparent

If your reader needs to start PSAT or SAT prep, print out that list of the 5,000 most common SAT words they have and help apply them to the bubble:

• spheroidal

• opalescent

Even if you must look up some words to help them, do it! Show your kids that you don’t have all the answers, but reading (even for information!) might provide them to you.

If you want to take the game to the next level, have your reader tell a story as you blow bubbles. Where did the bubble come from? Where is it going? What happened when it popped? Again this still works with any age; keep in mind with littles of a certain age (ahem - my kids), you may end up with potty humor or the most impressive feats never known to man. You can challenge your reader to use words you have already identified, especially if they are new to you. This will help to make a memory of the word much faster than any flashcard. They will have a direct association with the word.