Bubble Tricks for Beginners

Once you've got the basic BubbleStix^® technique down, you can do a lot more than make one big bubble and watch it drift off. These three giant bubble tricks are beginner-friendly, they look far harder than they are, and kids pick them up fast. Here's exactly how we do each one.

Still working on your first giant bubble? Start with The Ultimate Guide to Giant Bubbles and come back.

Trick 1 — How to Make Round Bubbles

This is the first bubble wand trick everyone should learn, because it's the foundation for the other two.

• Make a giant bubble the usual way — open the ropes wide and let the wind (or a slow walk backward) fill it.
• Once the bubble is moving gently away from you, slowly close the ropes.
• Closing changes the shape of the film and pinches off a smaller, round bubble that separates and flies away.
• Open the ropes again, catch a little air, and close once more.

Done well, you can release several round bubbles from a single dip without going back to the bucket. Experiment with speed: a fast close snaps off small tight bubbles, a slow close makes larger rounder ones.

It's also a great challenge. How many round bubbles can you get from one dip? Our record is 23 round bubbles from a single dip. Beat it and we want to hear about it.

Trick 2 — The Bubble Around You

The goal here is a bubble that wraps completely around your own body. It's the trick that gets the loudest reaction at parties, camps, and demonstrations — and it photographs beautifully.

• Wait for relatively light wind. Heavy gusts will tear the film before it closes around you.
• Hold one arm in close to your body and extend the other outward — a bullfighter's stance.
• Dip, open the ropes, and turn slowly all the way around your body while keeping the ropes under control.
• Move smoothly rather than quickly. Speed is what breaks this one.
• Try it from different angles relative to the wind until you find the position that carries the film around you.

Common sense: do this in an open outdoor area with plenty of room. You're spinning with two long sticks, so keep spectators back and watch for low branches.

Trick 3 — How to Make a Bubble Inside a Bubble

The hardest of the three, and the most satisfying when it lands.

• Start with a giant bubble.
• Once it's moving gently, close the ropes to pinch off a smaller bubble — the same motion as Trick 1.
• Open the ropes again right away.
• Form another wide, giant bubble around the small one while it's still drifting in front of you.
• Close the outer bubble gently so it seals with the small bubble trapped inside.

When the timing works, you'll sometimes see the little bubble bouncing off the inside walls of the big one. That's the payoff. Expect to miss it more often than you land it at first — the window between releasing the small bubble and closing the large one is short. Practice the round-bubble close until it's automatic and this one gets much easier.

What Other Bubble Tricks Can You Invent?

We know three tricks. We want to see what you can invent. Giant bubble wands respond to timing, wind, and body movement in ways nobody has fully mapped out — and most of the best ideas we've seen came from kids messing around in a backyard.

Post your BubbleStix^® tricks with #BubbleStix. If we see one that's genuinely new, we'll add it to this growing list of giant bubble tricks.

Tips for Better Bubble Tricks

• Keep the wind at your back whenever you can.
• Wind under about 12 mph is a good practical guideline.
• Higher humidity generally helps bubbles last longer.
• If there isn't enough wind, walk backward to create your own airflow.
• Mix the BubbleStix^® formula exactly according to the package instructions.
• Dip the sticks while closed.
• Let them drip for about 2–3 seconds before opening them.
• If the ropes tangle, point the sticks downward to help them straighten.
• Practice each trick on its own before you start combining them.

For why humidity and evaporation matter so much, read Bubble Science Explained. For turning these tricks into backyard challenges, see Giant Bubble Games, and for choosing gear, Best Giant Bubble Wand.

Bubble Tricks FAQ

What are some easy bubble tricks for beginners?

Start with round bubbles — close the ropes gently on a moving bubble to pinch off small round ones. From there, try making a bubble all the way around yourself, then work up to a bubble inside a bubble.

How do you make round bubbles?

Make a giant bubble first. Once it's drifting gently, slowly close the ropes. The film pinches shut and releases a round bubble that floats away. Open, catch air, and close again to make several from one dip.

How do you make a bubble inside a bubble?

Close the ropes on a moving bubble to release a small one, open the ropes again, and immediately form a wide bubble around it. With the right timing the small bubble stays sealed inside the larger one.

How do you make a bubble around yourself?

In light wind, hold one arm close to your body and extend the other outward, then turn slowly in a full circle while controlling the ropes so the film wraps all the way around you. Move smoothly, not quickly.

What is the best wind for giant bubble tricks?

Light, steady wind under about 12 mph, at your back. Too much wind tears the film before you can shape it; too little and you'll need to walk backward to create airflow.