Barry the Fish with Fingers

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Use Sue Hendra’s heart-warming story as a starting point for a range of arty activities and an exploration about fingers.

Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles!

Look at the bubbles that Puffy blows in Barry the Fish with Fingers and show the children how to blow their own soap bubbles. Watch how the bubble mix in the circular wand turns three dimensional as you blow, and look out for the moment when the soapy film seals to make a bubble and floats away from the wand. Look at the shape, movement and colour of the bubbles. Watch what happens when a bubble hits a surface and bursts. Show the children how to burst the bubbles by clapping them between their hands and let them play ‘bubble tag’.

Apart from playing with and observing the bubbles, try the following activities:

Make bubbles without blowing. Slice the bottom off a 500 ml plastic water bottle, dip into bubble mixture and squeeze the plastic sides to make a bubble. If the bubble doesn’t detach by itself, shake it or blow it off. This is a useful technique for children who struggle with blowing bubbles through a wand.
Blow huge bubbles. Dip the cut bottom of the water bottle in the mixture and blow gently through the small opening. How big a bubble can you blow?
Blow tiny bubbles. Tape five drinking straws together, dip them in the mixture and blow. Look out for clumps of bubbles as well as single ones.
Make a honeycomb of bubbles. Pour mixture into a foil pie dish, dip a straw into the mixture and blow a bubble. Wet the tip of the straw with mixture, push it into the bubble and blow another. Watch how the second bubble forms inside the first and then pops out to form the start of the honeycomb.
Make a colourful bubble dome. Mix bubble mixture with powder paint, pour into a shallow dish and blow with a straw to make a mountain of bubbles.
Try blowing bubbles through household items, such as spoons with holes, sieves, fly swatters and tea strainers.