Bubble and Foam Play
To develop sensory exploration and cause-and-effect understanding through bubble and foam play.
- Framework: EYFS
- Unit: EYFS Expressive Arts & Design
- Learning area: Expressive Arts and Design
- Level: EYFS Birth-2
Objectives
- Reaches for and touches foam/bubbles
- Makes marks in foam
- Shows delight at bubbles
- Explores cause-and-effect
Materials
- Baby bath foam
- Bubble machine or wand
- Large trays for foam play
- Gentle bubble solution
Instructions
Create a foam tray by whipping baby bath foam or safe shaving foam substitute into a tray. Place it at baby level. Let babies approach in their own time — some will dive in immediately; others need to observe first.
Blow bubbles towards babies and watch their tracking and reaching. 'Look! Bubbles! Floating bubbles!' Let babies try to touch and pop them. 'Pop! Gone!' This is cause-and-effect learning embedded in delight.
Make marks in foam alongside babies: drag your finger through, make circles, swipe across. 'Look what happened! I made a line!' Babies imitate these actions.
Name colours, textures, and actions: 'White foam! Soft and fluffy. Squishy when you poke it!' Rich vocabulary in sensory context builds language alongside art experience.
Respect those who don't want to touch — offer a brush or spoon as an alternative tool for exploring the foam.
Photograph babies' foam marks before wiping clean. Display as 'our art' with their name and age.