Fun and games: Blowing bubbles
When it’s time to get some fresh air, some toys are easier to bring with you than others, and bubbles can be some of the most low-impact fun of all the things you and Baby can do in the great outdoors.
Whether you’re using a bubble wand or a more sophisticated bubble machine, there’s plenty of room for Baby to learn while they play. You can start pretty simply by blowing some bubbles into the air and pointing out the differences between the big ones and the smaller ones. Next, if they're ready for some more advanced bubble appreciation, you can count the number of bubbles you see – Baby probably isn’t ready to chime in and help, but familiarity with number concepts is always helpful. And if Baby is the more imaginative type, you can talk to them about how far away some of the bubbles are going, and what they might be seeing.
Bubbles are also a great tool for teaching about cause and effect. Let them watch as you blow into the wand, creating a bubble, then let them see the effect of poking and popping it while it’s floating in the air. As a bonus, chasing the bubbles gives Baby the chance to run around (gross motor skills!), and will burn off some of that toddler energy.
