Some of the best memories of summer happen after the sun goes down. With no school to get up for, most children are allowed to stay up a little later than they normally would – allowing them to be amazed by the stars, catch fireflies, and play hide and seek in the dark.
You can create glow in the dark bubbles for even more summertime fun after dark. You make a bubble solution that glows after being exposed to light for a time. When your child blows the bubbles, they get orbs of light floating around them. How much fun is that?
Here is the catch. This will work best if you have a black light bulb… or three.
You will need:
- Bubble solution, either bought or homemade
- Bubble wand
- Highlighter pens in yellow or green (one per batch of bubbles)
- Black light bulbs (usually available at your party store)
Instructions:
- Carefully cut through a highlighter with a sharp knife and remove the felt that holds the ink.
- Put the felt in about 2 tablespoons of water and allow it to soak overnight.
- Squeeze all of the water out of the felt – it should be colored
- Mix the bubble solution in a 60:40 ratio with the colored water. You may need to adjust the ratio to get the right mix.
- Blow the bubbles under black light bulbs to see them glow.
Some people use glow in the dark paint rather than the highlighters. If you can find glow in the dark paint, add just a little of it to your bubble solution and see how it works.
photo credit: Joshua Rothhaas
