Pop the Bubbles With Your Elbow
The teacher blows soap bubbles and kids chase them to pop them with the body part called out: finger, elbow, knee, or foot. It works eye-body coordination, visual tracking, and moving freely in space.
How to play
- Children spread out on the playground with space around them. Stand to one side, with your back to the wind if there is any.
- Say: “When the bubbles come out, we pop them only with our pointer finger.” Blow a big batch and everyone chases them (1 min).
- Change the body part each batch: “Now with your elbow… your knee… your head… one foot” (3 min).
- A batch you can’t pop: “We just watch them and blow them up high,” and everyone blows without touching (1 min).
- Last batch: each child catches one bubble gently in two hands and freezes like a statue (1 min).
Rules
- Look up, but walk carefully so you don’t bump anyone.
- No pushing to reach a bubble: there are plenty for everyone.
- Keep bubbles away from your mouth and eyes.
- Only the teacher uses the bubble wand.
Variations
Easier
Pop with any body part.
Standard
Pop with the body part the teacher calls.
Harder
Switch between two parts, like right hand and foot, or pop while sitting.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: blow bubbles close to the child to pop with a hand or by blowing.
- Visual impairment: work up close with big bubbles and a buddy guiding by voice.
- More skilled kids pop bubbles while jumping; less skilled kids pop with both hands together.
Learning goals
- Track a moving object with the eyes.
- Coordinate different body parts with what they see.
- Move through space without collisions.
Equipment for a class of 25
- bubble wand: 2
Teacher tip
Best outdoors on a calm day; keep a second bubble wand ready in case one runs out. Before starting, remember the floor can get slippery if a lot of soap drips.
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