EVERETT — Ashlynn Mclaughlin figured out a bubble hack.
By dipping their hands into the soapy mixture and keeping their arms stretched forward, she and her siblings could more easily run through a bubble larger than themselves.
Ashlynn, 10, yelled “Clear” each time, holding back the others until the perfect moment in each bubble’s lifespan.
“Trust me,” Ashlynn told her brother, 12-year-old Eion.
Joined by their sisters, Devon and Teagan Mclaughlin-Clausen, the pair took part in “Bubbleology,” an hour of fun with bubbles Saturday at the Everett Public Library’s Evergreen Branch.
Bubbleology is a class offered by Christine Longdon, 45. She runs her small business, Grinnin Fish, out of her Stanwood-area home. She coordinates science-based activities for libraries, birthday parties and preschools. Other popular classes include dry ice and “Krazy Kitchen.”
About three years ago, Longdon thought her son could learn more science. She found herself studying it, too.
“I found out I really enjoyed it, the different experiments and stuff,” she said. “I just starting building the classes.”
Tatheer Topiwala was among the mothers at Bubbleology. She, too, listened as Longdon explained how a bubble is akin to water droplets on a penny. Surface tension makes the bubble round. Adding ingredients, such as soap and thickening powder, makes for a stretchier surface. Evaporation, light refraction, humidity and wind all play a role.
The business also is fueled by Longdon’s own passions for the environment and marine life. The name “Grinnin Fish” stemmed from an invention she and her husband considered creating for scuba diving. They didn’t pursue that project, but their logic was that if you have enough air underwater, you can be a happy fish. Fish also swim in a school, a fitting reference for an educational program, she said.
Hands-on experiments make a soft sell for lessons about, say, ocean acidity and pollution.
“You want them to learn about the environment, what they can do to help,” she said. “You have to have good, happy things to go along with the negative things.”
In ideal weather and with the right recipes, bubbles can reach 40 feet long, she said.
“The adults sometimes I think love it more than the kids,” she said. “I’ve had people who look like they’re in a zen zone.”
Topiwala’s daughter, 11-year-old Marzeyah, used bubble mix and a straw to paint purple and blue swirls, holding up her artwork for her mother’s review.
Meanwhile, 2½-year-old Owen Harmon was chewing on a straw, an act he viewed as helping his dad, Ryan, who was fashioning a square-shaped bubble wand.
Owen later stood in a kiddie pool, watching as his dad lifted a hula loop over his head, creating an Owen-sized bubble around him.
“He loves bubbles,” said his mother, Janelle. “It’s something a little different or unexpected from our usual routine of story time or a museum.”
Within the hour, Owen was splashing around in another kiddie pool overflowing with bubbles. He looked significantly soapier.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com; @rikkiking.
More information
For more information on Bubbleology and other science-themed, family-friendly activities offered by Christine Longdon, go to www.grinninfish.com or the “Grinnin Fish” page on Facebook, or call 360-629-0697.
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