How to make homemade bubbles for kids to have a never-ending supply of bubble solution. This is the easiest and quickest DIY bubble recipe and doesn’t use glycerine.
When I wrote about making homemade bubble wands with the kids, I promised to share photos of them using their new bubble wands as well as the instructions for how to make homemade bubbles.
So here goes!
Note: This post has been updated from the original with new photos and information.
First, I’ll share a video tutorial, then give you the bubbles recipe and share some photos…
Now for the recipe and photos…
How to Make Homemade Bubbles
INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups warm water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup blue Dawn dish soap
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine the sugar and water
Whisk the sugar into the warm water until the sugar dissolves.
- Whisk in the soap
Add the dish soap and whisk to combine.
- Let sit
This step is only if you have some patience or think to make the solution ahead of time. Letting the homemade bubbles sit for a couple of hours or even overnight helps them work a bit better, but is not strictly necessary.
- Blow bubbles!
Now it’s time to blow bubbles with your new bubble solution!
Easy peasy, don’t you think?
You can also add 1/4 cup of vegetable glycerine to your homemade bubble solution if you like (available from the drugstore or online). And/or 1/2 cup of corn starch. And/or 1 tablespoon of baking powder. Those each make the bubbles work just a tad better. But this is the basic recipe and it works just fine on it’s own.
We usually simply have a big bowl or two of the bubble solution out and available to the kids. You can also hand individual mason jars with bubble solution to the kids. Or re-use one of those no-spill bubble cups for your homemade bubbles.
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Sometimes they blow bubbles themselves, sometimes they let the wind do the work, and sometimes they twirl around with bubble-laden wand in tow.
How about you? Have you made your own bubble solution? Do you have a favorite recipe? (If so, please share!)
More Fun Bubble Ideas for Kids
- Bubble printing with amazing and colorful bubble snakes
- Make easy DIY bubble wands with beads (the bubble wands pictured in this post)
- Or make the world’s biggest bubbles with Bubble Thing
- Use a bubble wand kit to make pretty wire bubble wands
- Bubble machines are (seemingly) magic
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45 Comments
Nara
April 26, 2014 at 9:46 pmHey!
I loved it!
But.. How can i make the the heart and flower? (:
king
March 29, 2020 at 9:00 pmso cool thanks
Kelly
May 9, 2014 at 2:33 pmLovely! We have tried a recipe in the past that involved glycerin. The bubbles would get really big but they would pop before coming off the wand. I hope to find something that works a little better! This looks great!
Heather
May 9, 2014 at 4:18 pmDoes it have to be Dawn dish soap in particular (for its properties or what not)? Or will any dish soap do?
Thanks!
Shannon
July 27, 2014 at 7:18 pmI used palmolive dish soap and worked just fine
Jean Van't Hul
June 15, 2018 at 12:28 pmGood to know!
Jean Van't Hul
June 15, 2018 at 12:30 pmOthers have said they have used different dish soaps, so you can try this with any and see how it works for you.
Jessie williams
January 16, 2019 at 11:00 pmAny dish soap!
U don’t need to Know UnU
April 18, 2021 at 11:44 amIt can be any dish soap. As long as it is dish soap UnU
Tanya's Family Childcare
May 9, 2014 at 8:25 pmWhy sugar? Just curious. I always use dawn dish soap and water. Works fine and makes large lasting bubbles.
Jean Van't Hul
June 15, 2018 at 12:29 pmThat’s good to know. I just started making bubble solution this way and never thought to omit the sugar. Also, I’ve read that adding sugar (or corn syrup) improves the surface tension of the bubbles.
Jade
July 12, 2018 at 6:23 pmHow much of each, because I’ve been trying without the sugar, just dish soap and water, and I cannot seem to find the right combination
Emily
July 28, 2014 at 9:21 pmCool! I’m also wondering if any kind of dish soap would work, I live overseas so don’t have access to American brands :)
Jean Van't Hul
June 15, 2018 at 12:28 pmOthers say that they’ve used different dish soaps and that it’s worked for them, so I’d say experiment and find one that works well for you.
Elizabeth Logsdon
September 26, 2014 at 5:40 pmThis is so cool I will have to try it with the kids thanks!
Jean Van't Hul
June 15, 2018 at 12:28 pmEnjoy!
Lynette W.
September 27, 2014 at 10:47 amCurious Why you use sugar instead of glycerin? Do the bubbles survive better with plain old sugar? Thanks so much!
Jean Van't Hul
June 15, 2018 at 12:27 pmSugar apparently helps the surface tension of the bubbles. I’ve also seen recipes that use corn syrup instead of sugar, although I haven’t tried that version.
Teresa Riley
March 11, 2015 at 5:00 pmI love your website!! Thank you!
Jean Van't Hul
June 15, 2018 at 12:27 pmThanks, Teresa! :)
Peter Morris
June 21, 2018 at 7:35 amCan i use shampoo for that?
Jean Van't Hul
June 21, 2018 at 7:39 amI don’t think so, but if you try it and it works for you, will you let me know?
Harold Eugene Johnson
September 8, 2018 at 12:49 amUsed corn syrup instead of sugar, everything else as directed. Corn starch settle to the bottom the storage container. The entire mess proved to be a waste of travel, money, and time.
Vicky
September 15, 2018 at 8:25 pmGreat bubbles! Produced plentiful and long-lasting bubbles that were so sturdy, they were carried away by a light breeze, all the way up the street without popping.
Saya
October 23, 2018 at 2:33 pmThank you for sharing this recipe. My 4 yo is constantly asking for bubbles and I came across your recipe and gave it a shot and it’s working fine as of now (right after making it). I tried to blow bubbles with just the basic recipe and managed to get one bubble. Added the baking powder and managed to get more bubbles. Going to leave it to set overnight to play with tomorrow. I also used, the dishwashing liquid I use which is an environmentally friendly one and it seems to work just fine. Thanks again. X
Rhonda
October 25, 2018 at 9:30 amWith the sugar in it can you store it for a long period of time?
It is starting to get cold and I don’t know if I should dispose of the remainder of what I’ve made
bovada.codes
January 8, 2019 at 4:25 pmI have read so many posts concerning the blogger lovers except this piece of writing is truly a good article, keewp it up.
Marianne
August 24, 2019 at 12:01 pmI’ve tried using the corn starch but it settle sto the bottom. Is it possible that 1/2 cup of corn starch is too much? Thanks for the post!!
Trina Vandiver
May 23, 2021 at 5:00 pmIf you use a whisk to stir your mixture and aS you are putting in the corn starch whisk it in as well
Seems to not settle and make sure your water is very warm
bovada nfl
February 14, 2020 at 1:14 amWithh havin so much content do you ever run into any issues of
plagorism orr copyright infringement? My website hhas a lot of completely unique content I’ve
ither created myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it
up all over the web without my authorization. Do you know any methods to help stop contenmt from being ripped off?
I’d really appreciate it.
Btruthhurts
April 12, 2020 at 8:07 pmThey probably can get away with it easily, I’m sure it is ” completely unique content ” especially if you write the way this question is written. Good luck!
Adria Janni
March 26, 2020 at 1:23 pmHello:
Thank you very much. I just spent about 30-45 minutes making bubbles in the yard with my granddaughter during our lockdown.
Adria
Jean Van't Hul
March 27, 2020 at 5:30 amYay! Bubbles are so much fun and a great activity to do with kids right now. Have you tried making bubble prints? That’s another fun activity. Or making your own bubble wands.
Here’s a post about diy bubble wands, but know that the beads are more decorative than anything. You can do this with just pipe cleaners.
https://artfulparent.com/diy-beaded-bubble-wands/
Beck
April 25, 2020 at 6:41 pmThe cornstarch leaves a residue if used indoors …I make bubbles for my hyper dogs ..keeps them busy and exercised when we can’t go out for walks.Ive ONLY used the original blue Dawn .. I figure if it’s safe to use on wildlife it won’t harm my pets if they injest a small amount popping the bubbles!
Carol
April 26, 2020 at 11:38 amBubbles worked fantastic BUT when they popped they left like a skin where they popped. Is it because I didn’t wait overnight? I followed the recipe to the tee.
Jane
October 20, 2020 at 11:58 amcool i loved making this ❤❤o((>ωωωωωωω< ))o
nancy Campbell
December 25, 2020 at 12:35 amcan you use this for a whirlpool
Lala
January 2, 2021 at 1:33 pmWhat about a biodegradable soap? Will it work?
Janet Carlson
February 13, 2021 at 11:02 pmI doubled the recipie and it was a disaster. One out of every 15 attempts to blow a bubble was success. Did doubling the mixture cause this???
The Artful Parent Editorial Team
February 17, 2021 at 12:02 pmOh no! It could have been from doubling the recipe. Maybe try doing a single batch and see how it goes? Hope you have better luck with that! Thanks, the Editorial Team
umar saeed
March 14, 2021 at 1:00 pmi tried it, it did not work,i used all the ingredients but it did not work
The Artful Parent Editorial Team
March 17, 2021 at 1:12 pmSo sorry to hear this! This recipe usually works great. One suggestion we would have would be to let the homemade bubbles sit for a couple of hours or even overnight, if you can. Letting the solution sit helps it work a bit better.
We hope it works out better next time!
Thanks,
the Editorial Team
Granny Nanny
April 3, 2021 at 5:57 pmWhat would the measurements be for a smaller batch, I think half would be easier to store. I can’t wait to try this. Would sugar & glycerin work together to make stronger bubbles?
The Artful Parent Editorial Team
April 8, 2021 at 9:29 amYou could halve the recipe for a smaller batch, or just make the full batch and store in an airtight jar. That way you have plenty on hand!
Thanks,
the Editorial Team
Wendy
July 11, 2021 at 11:01 amI appreciate you sharing your recipe but it didn’t work well for me. In addition, the sugar attracted ants where it dripped 😳