Indoor Activities: Dance Party With Bubbles
Blow bubbles and get ready to boogie!
Submitted by
Kayla Chong
Kayla Chong
The weather outside is frightful and your kids are acting anything but delightful. You need an indoor activity to burn off some of that cooped-up steam ... fast. Pop a rockin' CD into the stereo and gather the kids in the living room, because this is one dance party that even the baby can join.
- Glycerin bubbles:Regular old soap bubbles just won't do—they'll pop after a few seconds. Go to your local Gymboree and buy their awesome "Bubble Oodles" (they're worth the $6!), look in your local mass merchant store for Miracle Bubbles or Gazillion Bubbles, or make your own using the recipe in the "Notes" below.
- Bubble wands:Either round up several so everyone can make bubbles or bust out a bubble machine like Gazillion Bubbles, so you can save your breath for dancing!
- Dance music:Save "Rock-a-Bye Baby" for bedtime and pop something in that will really get them moving. Try The Backyardigans Groove to the Music or Dora's Dance Fiesta.
Prepare the dance floor: Clear a space on the floor large enough for the kids to move and groove. (It's totally fine to push all of the blocks and stuffed animals on the floor into a corner. Why clean when you can dance!?)
Prep the boogiers: The littlest party-goers (a.k.a. your baby) can observe from a blanket on the floor. (Just make sure to keep baby's blanket far away from the dance floor if you have older, more rambunctious dancers.) Older dancers need to be barefoot and fancy-free.
Cue the music: Pop your CD into the stereo and crank up the volume. It's not a party until the place is rockin'.
Fill the room with bubbles. Have everyone start blowing bubbles into the room or turn on the bubble machine to get things hopping (and popping)! Glycerin bubbles last for up to 10 minutes so within a minute or two, your living room should be absolutely bursting with bubbles.
Start dancing! Bust those moves left over from your club-hopping days. Hip-hop to Dora. Two-step to the Backyardigans. Heck, do the electric slide to Lori Berkner if you want.
Replenish the bubble supply generously and keep the music cranking until the kids (or you, whichever comes first) are drop-dead exhausted and laying on the living room floor.
Write "half-hour cardio workout" on the calendar and schedule another one for next week!
Bubble Boogie Bubble Solution
9 cups water
1 cup liquid dish detergent
½ cup glycerin*
Mix all ingredients together in a clean plastic bottle with a lid.
*You can find glycerin at the drugstore, but if you can't find it you can substitute corn syrup or KY Jelly (both of which you might already have around the house).
Got a baby and no bigger kids who want to boogie? Skip the dance party and do a Baby Bubble Boogie by letting the baby touch and pop bubbles while laying on the floor.
Submit!
