Best for this moment
when your toddler needs to move and burn energy, especially when you need an outdoor option.
Outdoor Bubble Toddle
At a glance: Blow bubbles outdoors and let your early walker chase, pop, and reach for them — combining walking practice with whole-body coordination. A 10-minute, high-energy outdoor activity for ages 12m–2y.
Bubbles are the ultimate motivator for getting a new walker moving. They float at exactly the right pace for toddling feet, they drift in unpredictable directions that demand quick changes of direction, and the satisfying pop when touched rewards every successful reach. This outdoor version gives your child open space to chase freely while you blow a steady stream of bubbles ahead of them. The reaching, popping, and direction-changing build gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and visual tracking in a single joyful game.
Parent tip
Set out bubbles before inviting your toddler in so the first minute feels smooth.
What success looks like
A good outcome is a few minutes of engaged play, some back-and-forth with you, and a small sign of progress in body awareness.
More help for this situation
Screen-time alternatives
Screen time
Swap the screen for hands-on play that holds attention just as well — no charging required.
Read the screen time guideInstructions
- Head to the garden or a park with a bottle of bubbles. Choose a flat, grassy area away from paths and roads.
- Blow a gentle stream of bubbles at your child's eye level and watch their reaction.
- Encourage them to chase: 'Look at the bubbles! Can you catch one?'
- Blow some high so they have to reach up, and some low so they have to bend down — varying the motor challenge.
- When they pop one, celebrate: 'Pop! You got it! Can you find another?'
- Walk backwards slowly while blowing, so your child toddles towards you to reach the bubbles.
- Let them try to blow the bubbles themselves or hold the wand — most 12-18 month olds can't blow yet, but the attempt exercises lip and mouth muscles.
- Wind down by blowing one last stream and sitting together to watch them float away: 'Bye bye, bubbles!'
Why it helps
Visual tracking — following a moving object with the eyes — is a prerequisite for later reading and writing, and bubbles provide the perfect tracking target because they move slowly and unpredictably. The chasing adds dynamic balance practice, as your child must change direction, speed, and reach while staying upright. Paediatric occupational therapists frequently recommend bubble play for early walkers because it simultaneously develops visual-motor integration, bilateral coordination, and postural control.
Variations
- Use a bubble machine instead of a wand for a constant stream that frees your hands to support your child's walking.
- Try catching bubbles on the wand before they pop and showing your child how to gently touch without popping — a lesson in gentle hands.
- On calm days, blow bubbles indoors on a tiled or wooden floor — the popping leaves tiny wet marks that fascinate toddlers.
Safety tips
- Use non-toxic bubble solution and keep the bottle out of your child's reach, as they will try to drink it.
- Wipe bubble solution off hands before it reaches eyes — it stings and can cause tears and distress.
- Choose a flat, enclosed outdoor area where your child cannot chase bubbles towards roads, water, or uneven terrain.
When to pause and seek extra support
Stop if your child becomes distressed, unsafe, or consistently frustrated by the activity. If play, behaviour, or development worries keep showing up across settings, check in with a qualified professional.
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