Building Communication Skills with Bubbles

Bubbles can be used in a fun way to help encourage communication development. Follow the tips below and try them out for yourself.

Use bubbles to teach a word or sign

Blow bubbles for your child and encourage them to ask for ‘more’ or to blow the bubbles ‘again’. This may be through eye contact, gesture/sign, sounds or words.

Use bubbles to help develop phrases

If your child is starting to combine words, practise using phrases such as ‘more bubbles’, ‘more bubbles please’ etc.

Create an opportunity for your child to communicate

Tie the bubbles really tight and give them to your child. This will encourage your child to communicate with you that they need ‘help’. Again, this may be through eye contact, gesture, sounds or words. Model words/signs such as ‘open’, or ‘help’ for your child.

Use bubbles to teach a sound

As you pop the bubbles with your child say ‘pop, pop, pop, pop’ in a quiet voice. Encourage your child to imitate. The [p] sound is one of the first sounds to emerge in speech sound development.

Use bubbles to help develop eye contact

Blowing bubbles can encourage lots of eye contact as your child anticipates more. Wait for your child to make eye contact before blowing again.

Develop cause and effect

Children begin to learn that their actions caused the desired event through cause and effect toys and activities. This paves the way for higher level problem solving and reasoning skills. Children will enjoy using their fingers and hands to pop the bubbles!

Use bubbles to teach simple language concepts

Model the following concepts as you have fun together:

• Big Bubble
• Small Bubble
• Up high
• Down low