This viral TikTok mom hack for bubbles is here to save your summer

Kids and bubbles go together like peanut butter and jelly. And since bubbles for toddlers can be tricky, messy and frustrating, this mom hack that’s going viral on TikTok is here to save your sanity and your summer.

It doesn’t matter what container bubbles come in—the long tube, the short bottle, the giant jug, the bubble machine that is guaranteed to stop working after an hour—they make a mess. A giant, soapy, sloppy mess.

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Bubbles, while a huge source of joy for little ones, can be frustrating too. Whether they can’t figure out how to blow (though it’s admittedly pretty cute and entertaining to watch them place their mouths directly onto the wand and give it their all) or they dump them all out by accident and proceed to have a tantrum that would wake the gods, the fun is…limited…most of the time.

Enter: this genius mom hack that’s going viral on TikTok. Bubbles for toddlers has never been easier or more fun!

WHO KNEW? A bowl and a straw?! It’s so simple! Sure, there’s still the possibility of a little spill, but in exchange, you get a significant amount of time where your toddler is engaging in independent play. It’s a no-brainer!

Related: 7 positive phrases to boost your toddler’s brain development

According to the Early Intervention Center of Illinois, blowing bubbles helps our little ones work on many skills at the same time:

• Oral motor skills: Blowing bubbles develops the small muscles in your child’s mouth as they pucker their lips and blow bubbles. Strengthening these muscles is important for developing their ability to form clear sounds when speaking and to eat and swallow safely.
• Gross motor skills: Children can reach to pop bubbles and build hand-eye coordination as they reach. Walking toddlers and infants may follow the bubbles on their feet and practice their moving skills.
• Eye tracking skills: Younger infants and toddlers learn to follow the bubbles with their eyes.
• Vocabulary and concept development: As you talk to your children about bubbles, you expose them to words such as clear, soapy, float, and pop.
• Cognitive development: When young children touch a bubble, it pops, giving them a chance to explore cognitive concepts such as cause and effect.
• Joint attention: Smiling and laughing together builds strong relationships and helps children learn to connect with others and discover shared interests. Who can help but smile as bubbles float by?

Now go forth with this mom hack knowledge, and grab your bowls and your straws and your kids and ENJOY.

A version of this post was published July 18, 2022. It has been updated.