Bubble Play & Speech-Language Development

I've never met a kid who doesn't love bubbles! As a pediatric speech-language pathologist, bubbles are a highly preferred therapy toy by many. My daughter also enjoys bubbles, so we are loaded up on bubble wands, containers, and a bubble machine. They are a great, cost-friendly toy for repeated fun with your child with many benefits for promoting speech and language development!

Benefits of Play Time with Bubbles

• Allow for repetition and set up for high motivational communication temptations- Being that bubbles are simple to use and quickly disappear, they are a perfect toy for repetitive play. Your child becomes so excited when the bubbles are blown and loves to help pop them, and once they are gone, they're anxiously awaiting more. By holding the desired item within sight but out of reach, you are providing a communication temptation for your child to ask for more. You can pause once the bubbles are all gone to see how your child responds. Some children may look at the bubble container, some may reach or point to the container, some may vocalize a noise, and some may use a word approximation such as "buh" all of which should be reinforced to encourage continued communication.

• Cheap toy to have on hand- One great benefit of bubbles is that they are an inexpensive toy to have in the house. In a pinch, you can even make your own by refilling the container with soap and water.

• Exposure to new vocabulary- Bubble play introduces new vocabulary words to children such as bubble, pop, blow, more, all gone, fall down, open, shut/close

• Modeling early developing bilabial sounds- Another reason I love bubbles, especially for babies and toddlers, is that they promote early developing sounds /p/ & /b/. "Pop" and "bubble" are two words I use repeatedly during bubble play and both contain early sounds for your child to see and hear you say.

• Oral motor movements- Children who want to blow the bubbles on their own have to learn a new way to move their mouth while simultaneously blowing out air. This can be complex and challenging at first and can help children learn to move their mouth intentionally and bring more awareness to their oral motor movements.

Tips for Promoting Speech & Language Development

• Repeat yourself before blowing the bubbles each time, "Bubbles! Ready, set, go!" You are setting up your child with the opportunity to ask for the bubbles themselves and/or to fill in your repetitive phrase, " Ready, set, ____!"

• Model popping the bubbles with your fingers and stating "pop pop pop". This not only encourages the child to repeat the words but also to copy your actions of popping the bubbles. Imitation of gestures and movements comes before imitation of sounds and helps lay the foundation for later speech and language skills.

• Put your face in close proximity to your child's when modeling words with early sounds such as "pop" and "bubbles". The /p/ and /b/ sounds are referred to as bilabial sounds meaning they're produced with your lips. This means your child can clearly see these sounds being produced. By getting close to their face, you're helping them to pay attention and allowing them to watch your production. I also like to repeat the words slowly in a singsong voice to encourage them to attend.

• If your child is one who grabs for the bubble container, you can close the lid and encourage them to ask for "help" to open the bubbles. This way you are giving them what they want but still encouraging them to ask for something (e.g., "help" or "open").

• Some of our little ones like to be in control and want to take the bubble wand themselves to try to blow. This sets you up for a great opportunity to practice taking turns blowing the bubbles.

• If using a bubble machine, you can use the same language modeling to show your child how to request the bubbles. When using the machines, I use "stop" and "go" when turning the machine on and off in addition to modeling requests and popping sounds and motions.

Incorporating bubbles into playtime is not only enjoyable but also incredibly beneficial for speech and language development in children. From creating opportunities for communication temptations to modeling early sounds and introducing new vocabulary, bubbles offer a wide range of interactive learning experiences. So, grab your bubble wands and dive into the world of bubbles with your child. It's an inexpensive yet invaluable tool for fostering communication and having fun together!