The Magic of Bubbles oooOOO

Bubbles are my favorite therapy tool. They are loved by children of all ages, inexpensive and can teach so many things. Here are some my therapeutic uses for bubbles:

As a motivator and reinforcer: Most children will complete a task to have more bubbles blown. Also, children love the reward of bubbles being blown when they complete a task.
Teaching concepts: Playing with bubbles teaches the concepts open/close, in/out, wet/dry, big/little, a lot vs. a few.
Oral motor skills: Bubbles can be used to help children learn to round their lips and blow .
Elicit sound production: Bubbles are a good way to elicit /b/ and /p/ sounds. Also practicing lip rounding promotes articulation of /w/ and “ooo”.
Teaching social (pragmatic) language skills: Bubbles encourage eye contact and teach turn taking when the child has to request a turn.
Teaching sign language: Many signs can be learned while playing with bubbles: more, please, pop, bubble, open, close, up, down, all done, my, help.
Teach body parts: Kids love to pop bubbles with their nose, elbow, toes, etc.
Breath support and sustainability: Bubble blowing helps kids understand how to control the force of their airflow and how to sustain it; important skills required in speaking.

Some tips to help you realize the magic of bubbles:

I love that bubbles are easy to make, check out this bubble recipe: http://pinterest.com/pin/285978645058839049/

To keep the mess at bay, I use a no spill bubble tumbler. These are great!

And don’t throw away that tiny container of bubbles you received at your cousin’s wedding; toss it in your bag and pull it out when you need something quick to entertain your little one.

Please don’t buy an automatic bubble bower! I know it’s exciting how many bubbles that machine can spit out, but it really takes most of the learning away from playing with bubbles. Make your kids work for the bubbles and they will gain new skills and knowledge!