How to host a bubbles activity

My friend Sherilee and I recently started a neighborhood playgroup that meets once a week.  We try to have a variety of activities planned, and as it gets warmer we are trying to do more outdoor activities.  A week or two ago we wanted to do something to take advantage of the warm-ish and sunny-ish weather- something fun outdoors that wouldn't get anyone too cold (it was an even 60 degrees).  I remembered some fun bubbles activities that I did growing up, plus a few more I'd heard about but never tried, so I suggested an all- bubbles activity.  We planned a few stations for the kids to rotate around in a grassy area next to my home.  Some things turned out great, others not- so great.  Here is a run down of what we did (and in some cases, what I would do differently the next time around).

Station 1: BIG Bubbles

Materials:
Bubble solution, big wands, large, shallow Tupperware container(s) (i.e. the under the bed type)
Bubble solution:
Make your own bubble solution by combining 10 parts tap water (soft water works the best but if your water is too hard and you don't mind the expense, try distilled water), 1 part Dawn dish detergent, and 1/4 part glycerin (which can be expensive, so you can try substituting white Karo syrup).
Tips:
Mix up your bubble solution the night before if possible (the longer it sits, the better it works).  Use Dawn detergent, it seems to work the best.  Joy detergent comes in second.

Big wands:
Round up any bubble wands you may already have, and make a few extra in creative shapes using old wire hangers. just bend them to the shape you want, and bend the hanger part upwards to be the handle.  These can be dipped in the Tupperware tub and waved to make bigger bubbles- lots of fun.

Bonus: If you want, fill a kiddie pool with a couple inches of bubble solution and use a hula hoop to pull a giant bubble up over your kid standing in the pool.

Station 2: Creative Bubble Blowing

Materials:
Old washrags that can be cut up, rubber bands, plastic water bottles to cut up, small, wide containers for bubble solution (such as an empty sour cream container), pipe cleaners, fly swatter, various kitchen utensils or toys with holes, regular bubble solution, cheap, clean stretchy gloves.
Foam snakes:
Cut the water bottle all the way across about halfway down, and rubber band a square of washrag just larger than the opening to the piece that has the drinking opening at the other end (if you didn't have old water bottles you could use toilet paper tubes as well). Get the material damp with water, then dip in the bubble solution (or just dish soap) and blow through the other end and you will get cool bubble foam snakes.  Check out this link to Family Fun Magazine for more details if that doesn't make sense.

Photo credit to http://familyfun.go.com/assets/cms/crafts/steps/foamerator-summer-craft-step2-photo-150-FF0809EFW19.jpg

Creative bubble wands: twist pipe cleaners into fancy shapes for customized bubble wands, and use mason jar lids, slotted spoons, fly swatters, or anything you can come up with for creative bubble play.  Put on the stretchy fabric gloves (just the kind that are usually a couple dollars- you probably already have a pair) and try bouncing the bubbles! Check out this link for more info.

Station 3: Bubble Art

Materials:
White paper, regular bubble solution, small containers for bubble solution, bubble wands for each container, food coloring or tempera paint (which would probably work the best), markers

Photo credit to http://bubbleblowers.com/Party/art.gif

Bubble "Modern" Art:
Add several drops of food coloring to each cup of bubble solution.  Write each child's name on a piece of paper, then have the kids catch the bubbles you blow on the paper.  This works best when it is not too breezy.  Make sure to do several different colors, then let the papers dry in the sun with a rock holding the paper down while the kids move on to the next station.

Station 4: Snacks and Clean-Up

Have one or two buckets filled with clean warm water for kids to rinse their hands (or faces, or heads as the case may be... speaking from experience here) and some paper towels.

Any circle foods would be great for a snack- whether it is grapes or olives, or tapioca pudding prepared ahead of time, or other foods cut in circle shapes.  It would be a good idea to have some water in a pitcher and some little paper cups.
Keep a garbage bag handy to collect all the litter.

Other Set-Up:

You will want to have chairs set up for the adults to watch from, and a picnic blanket for snack time.  A few card tables might come in handy for setting up some of the stations, but you can just put everything down on the grass as well.  Other things that would be useful are balls to play with for really young kids, a bubble machine for the kids to just go crazy and try to pop all the bubbles before they get away, and sunscreen.

Have fun with bubbles this summer!