DIY Bubble Wands from Nature

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive compensation if you make a purchase using one of these links.

Bubbles are a favorite for most kids, but with all the plastic wands and motorized blowers on the market, they can become just another high tech, commercialized activity. When my daughter and I were introduced to these DIY Bubble Wands from Nature at Tinkergarten preschool class, we were both surprised and delighted by how simple, natural and effective they were. Here’s how to inspire all-natural wonder by making your own nature bubble wands!

Collect Your Sticks

First, you’ll need to find some good, sturdy sticks. Ideally, you’ll want them about 10 inches in length, but nature is full of variation, so work with it! They should be thick enough that they can’t be easily bent and snapped, but not too thick that they are heavy and difficult to wave around.

Check your backyard ground, or a local park with lots of trees. Maddie and I searched the ground at Grandpa and Grandma’s house and found a lovely selection!

Find the Right Pipe Cleaners

We learned quickly that the size of pipe cleaner matters a great deal. You will want the thin 3mm or 4mm pipe cleaners, as the thicker ones become very heavy with bubble solution and won’t produce as many bubbles.

In this picture, you can see the dark blue pipe cleaner is 6mm and will be too thick for this project. The pink pipe cleaner is 4mm and will work well. 

Wrap & Shape Your Wand

Take your stick and begin wrapping the end of the pipe cleaner several times around the end of the stick to secure it. Loop a shape around the end of the stick and wind the second end of the pipe cleaner securely around the stick again several times.

You can tuck the pointed end under the loops to further hold it. Shapes that are fun to make include circles, hearts, squares and flowers! Keeping the shapes smaller in size will produce more bubbles–extra pro tip there!

Gather Bubble Solution

You can make your own bubble solution with dish soap and water (here’s how I’ve done it in the past) or purchase a solution like Gazillion Bubbles (our current favorite).

We found big jugs of Gazillion bubbles at our local Target during the summer, but they are also available on Amazon.

Pour solution into a dish to keep your bubble jug cleaner!

Enjoy the Wonder!

• Air Patterns
• Light Reflection
• Rainbow Colors
• Lung Capacity
• Textures: Sticky, Wet, Soft, Fuzzy, Rough, Knobby
• Creative Problem Solving (making, designing, and fixing wands)

Watch the video tutorial:

Try More Simple Kid’s Activities:

10 Minute DIY Simply Citrus Aromatherapy Playdough

DIY Sensory Cloud Dough || Aromatherapy for Kids

WANT TO SAVE DIY BUBBLE WANDS FROM NATURE FOR LATER? PIN TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD HERE: