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STEM ENGINEERING FOR KIDS: MAKE A BUBBLE BLOWER MACHINE
STEM ENGINEERING FOR KIDS: MAKE A BUBBLE BLOWER MACHINE
WHAT YOU NEED:
2 Styrofoam Blocks (12 inches long)
1 Round Styrofoam Piece (8 inch diameter)
1 Wooden Dowel
Pipe Cleaners or Wire
1 Large Pan
Bubble Solution (You can make your own, or buy the big bottles at the store)
Begin with making a hole through the center of the round Styrofoam piece. I did it using the dowel so it is just the right size. A pencil or something pointy may help to start the hole.
Then on the long blocks, make similar holes at about 5 and a half inches.
Use the wire or pipe cleaners to make the bubble blowing rings. Pipe cleaner seemed to work better.
Cut pieces of pipe cleaners (or wire) about 8-10 inches long. Then twist them into loops with a step to push them into the edge of the round Styrofoam piece.
Make 6 loops and evenly spaced them around the ring. (You may want to put these on before the dowel)
Put the dowel through all three styrofoam pieces with the round piece in the center. The spacing will depend on the width of the pan you are using.
Fill your pan with bubble solution. You will want it filled all the way to the very top so the bubble wands get fully immersed into it. You will have a little bit of trial and error here, too. You need a pan long enough to not be bumped on the edges as the bubble blowers are turned. You also want the wants pushed in enough that they do not get stuck on the bottom of the ban as they are turned. This took a little bit of figuring out, but it will work!
We also switched from wire to pipe cleaners part way through the project because the bubbles were not blowing out very well. Once we made this switch, they came out really well!
Once you have it all assembled, it is time to PLAY! You just turn the dowel to spin the machine make sure there is solution in the bubble wand and blow through it. You can also discuss Simple Machines with this project! We have a wheel and a gear.
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