What you’ll need
- An empty plastic bottle (about 600 ml size works best)
- A clean old sock
- Scissors
- An elastic band or some tape
- A shallow bowl or plastic container
- ½ cup of water
- 2 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid
Step 1: Prepare the bottle
Cut the bottom off your plastic bottle – about 5 cm from the end is perfect. Adults should handle the cutting, as the edges can be sharp. This open end will be where the bubbles form.
Step 2: Attach the sock
Stretch the toe end of the sock over the cut end of the bottle, pulling it tight so it covers the opening evenly. Secure it with an elastic band or some tape. Make sure it’s snug – you don’t want any gaps for air to escape.
Step 3: Mix the bubble solution
Pour the water into your bowl and stir in the dishwashing liquid. Swish gently to combine (too much stirring makes froth, which you don’t want yet). This simple mix is all you need – no fancy ingredients required.
Step 4: Dip and blow
Dip the sock-covered end of the bottle into the bubble mix so it’s nice and damp. Then hold the bottle to your mouth and gently blow out through the neck. Just remember to blow - not suck - unless you like the taste of soap! You’ll instantly see long, fluffy chains of bubbles slithering out like a foamy snake.
Step 5: Experiment and have fun
Try adding a few drops of food colouring to the sock before dipping – each breath will create a rainbow bubble snake. You can also see who can blow the longest one before it breaks.
When you’re finished, give everything a quick rinse and let the sock dry for next time.
A few extra tips
- The tighter the sock and smoother the weave, the finer the bubbles will be.
- Blow slowly for longer, steadier snakes; quick breaths make shorter bursts.
- This activity works best outdoors or somewhere you don’t mind a bit of mess – the bubbles pile up fast!
