Science is fun. Parents who understand this simple concept will have children who are able to make educated guesses, draw conclusions and have a greater understanding of critical thinking. One of the best ways to teach a children about how fun science can be is using science experiments. The results may not turn out as expected, but there is something that can be learned from every experiment.
It would be tough to find a kid who does not enjoy bubbles. They may like blowing bubbles with a straw, using a bubble wand to fill the air with bubbles or simply trying to catch them as they fall to the ground. It will not be a hard sell to convince a child to do an experiment if it means playing with bubbles.
There are many different suggestions on how to freeze bubbles. There are some different recipes for bubble solutions. There are also some different methods. Since bubbles are such fun, the perfect experiment might be a week long one, trying many different methods and solutions. Document along the way and this could turn into an idea for a later science project, or perhaps an extra credit paper when the child gets older.
Experiment 1
This one is fairly low tech. It may take quite a few tries to get the bubble to the freezer, but it is fun trying to make it happen. This experiment uses common dish soap, a straw and a plate. Place some dish soap in a cup. Dip the straw into the soap and blow the bubble just above the plate. The plan is that it will fall gently onto the plate and make it to the freezer without popping. Obviously this could take several times to get the bubble to the freezer and frozen.
The bubble should freeze in 30 minutes to an hour. It is a good idea to check it about every 30 minutes to see if it has popped.
Experiment 2
This experiment can only be where the temperatures get really cold. They work best below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. These bubbles are blown outside and then caught on the wand to freeze. It is a bundle up and go outside kind of project.
There are also two different recipes to use and see which creates the best frozen bubbles. See the recipes below.
Recipe 1:
½ cup of soap powder
½ cup sugar
3 cups hot water whisk together
Recipe 2
1 cup ultra Ivory Blue
1/2 cupwater
3/4 tablespoon glycerin
Experiment 3
For those who want solid frozen bubble that the students can handle, the dry ice method works best. It is important that there is plenty of adult supervision, as dry ice is very dangerous. In most states only adults can purchase the dry ice.
Put the dry ice in a glass aquarium. Allow it to melt a little, and the carbon dioxide is released into the tank. Using the same recipes as in experiment 2, blow the bubbles over, not into, the tank. They will slowly descend and get bigger. Once they touch the dry ice they will freeze solid and can be picked up.
All of these are fun experiments and can easily to be used in the home and the science class.
