Toddler activities with bubbles
5 activities in the library use bubbles, for toddlers aged 12 to 36 months: 1 starting 12–17 months, 3 starting 18–23 months and 1 starting from 24 months. Bubbles pull toddlers into chasing, popping, pointing and asking for more. A pause before the next breath of bubbles is one of the easiest ways to invite a sign, a point or a word.
Updated
Bubbles: 5 activities to try
Safety: Keep bubble liquid away from mouths and eyes, and do not let your child drink from the bottle.
5 activities
- Bubble Squat-and-Pop 12–24 months · 3–8 min · Indoors or out · Active The adult blows bubbles low toward the floor and the child squats to pop them and stands back up, practicing balance in and out of a squat.
- Bubble Chase on the Grass 18–30 months · 5–12 min · Outdoors · Active Outdoors, the adult sends streams of bubbles across the grass and the child runs, stops and turns to chase them, practicing running with control.
- Bubble Wand Turns 20–30 months · 5–12 min · Outdoors · Active You blow bubbles, pause until your child asks for more with a sign, sound or word, then hand over the wand for their own turn at waving bubbles.
- Bubble Jar Twist and Blow 22–36 months · 5–10 min · Indoors or out · Calm Your child twists the lid off a small bottle of bubble liquid so you can blow bubbles together, a lid-twisting job with an instant, floating reward.
- Slow Bubble Breathing 30–36 months · 3–6 min · Indoors or out · Calm Your child practices long, slow breaths by blowing gently through a bubble wand, a playful way to learn one calming action before feelings get big.
Nothing matches these filters. Try another age band or "Anywhere".
Bubbles at a glance
| Activities | 5, 2 on the low-prep menu |
|---|---|
| Ages covered (corrected) | 12–36 months |
| Focus time | 3–12 minutes |
| Main domains | 2 gross motor, 2 social-emotional and 1 fine motor |
| Where they happen | 3 indoors or outdoors and 2 outdoors |
| Quickest start | Slow Bubble Breathing, 3–6 minutes |
Every activity with bubbles
Sorted by the first month each one fits (corrected age for children born early). Quick picks: for a calm moment, Bubble Jar Twist and Blow; to burn energy, Bubble Squat-and-Pop; with no prep at all, Bubble Chase on the Grass.
| Activity | Ages | Minutes | Domain | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bubble Squat-and-Pop | 12–24 months | 3–8 | Gross motor | None |
| Bubble Chase on the Grass | 18–30 months | 5–12 | Gross motor | None |
| Bubble Wand Turns | 20–30 months | 5–12 | Social-emotional | None |
| Bubble Jar Twist and Blow | 22–36 months | 5–10 | Fine motor | None |
| Slow Bubble Breathing | 30–36 months | 3–6 | Social-emotional | None |
How each activity uses bubbles
- Bubble Squat-and-Pop (squatting to play, 3–8 minutes): Blow a few bubbles low, aimed at the floor in front of the child.
- Bubble Chase on the Grass (running, 5–12 minutes): Stand with the wind behind you and blow a long stream of bubbles across the grass.
- Bubble Wand Turns (taking turns, 5–12 minutes): Blow a few bubbles and let your child chase and pop them.
- Bubble Jar Twist and Blow (twisting lids and knobs, 5–10 minutes): Close the bubble bottle with a loose quarter turn and hand it to your child: "Bubbles? Open, please!"
- Slow Bubble Breathing (calming with help, 3–6 minutes): At a calm moment, hold the wand near your mouth and blow one slow, long breath to make a big bubble.
By age
12–17 months: 1 activity, 3–8 minutes. 18–23 months: 3 activities, 5–12 minutes. From 24 months: 1 activity, 3–6 minutes.
Starting 12–17 months
Starting 18–23 months
Starting from 24 months
Words that come up
Across these activities you will model “bubble”, “pop”, “down, up”, “more”, “run”, “chase”, “stop”, “more bubbles”, “my turn”, “your turn”, “open” and “twist”. Say one at the moment it happens, then pause for your child's turn.
Safety with bubbles
- Keep bubble liquid away from mouths and eyes, and do not let your child drink from the bottle.
- Wipe up spills on indoor floors at once; bubble liquid is slippery.
Prep tips
- Blow bubbles outdoors when you can.
- Pause and wait before blowing more, so your child can ask.
- Pour a small amount into a separate bottle so a spill stays small.
No bubbles? Use instead
- Soap foam in the bath.
- Floating scarves to chase.
- Blowing a tissue or a paper ball across the table.
Combine it with
None of these activities uses a second material from the household list. The skills practised most: pointing to ask (2), balancing (1) and calming with help (1).
Skills practised
Frequently asked questions
What can a toddler do with bubbles?
5 activities here use them, for example Bubble Squat-and-Pop (12–24 months), Bubble Chase on the Grass (18–30 months) and Bubble Wand Turns (20–30 months). 2 are on the low-prep menu: no prep and 10 minutes or less.
Are bubbles safe for toddlers?
Use them only with an adult close by. Keep bubble liquid away from mouths and eyes, and do not let your child drink from the bottle. Wipe up spills on indoor floors at once; bubble liquid is slippery.
What can I use instead of bubbles?
Soap foam in the bath, floating scarves to chase or blowing a tissue or a paper ball across the table can stand in for most of these activities.
What ages are activities with bubbles for?
They cover 12–36 months of corrected age: 1 starting 12–17 months, 3 starting 18–23 months and 1 starting from 24 months.
Related
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.