Alligator Bubbling Swamp Small World

My boys are just starting to really enjoy telling stories on their own. I find that pretend play small worlds are a perfect way to encourage their storytelling, so I set up this really fun alligator bubbling swamp small world for them. It was a perfect blend of science, sensory play, and imaginative play! In fact, my boys played with this particular small world for almost an hour and a half!

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For this alligator bubbling small world, we used:

• Soap foam 
• Liquid watercolors - A combination of blue, green, and black was used to create a swampy color.
• Baking soda
• Squirt bottles filled with vinegar
• Fake grass and plants
• Alligator figures

To make soap foam, I prefer to use a foam hand soap dispenser. I let the boys pump the dispenser to work on fine motor skills. However, you can also make soap foam by mixing liquid soap and a splash of water with a hand blender, electric mixer, or stand mixer. Once we had enough soap foam to cover the bottom of our plastic bin, I added some liquid watercolors and a generous amount of baking soda. The amount of baking soda you use will depend on the amount of soap foam you make, but I likely used about 1/2 cup or so. Then my boys took turns mixing the soap foam, liquid watercolors, and baking soda until it was well combined. Next, I added two alligators and some fake grass.

The swamp wasn't quite bubbling yet. So the boys, armed with squirt bottles of vinegar, started adding vinegar to the soap foam and baking soda mixture. Instantly, the swamp started to transform into a really spooky swampland.

The bubbles were perfect for the alligators to hide and swim in. It was at this point that my boys started telling stories and giving the alligators baths, etc. for an hour and a half. 

Don't forget that the soap foam is a great sensory experience for little hands! Especially since the baking soda makes the soap foam feel a bit gritty at times.

This post is part of the Small World Pretend Play Ideas from A to Z series hosted by Still Playing School. I'll be sharing two other small world ideas over the course of the month, so make sure to come back and check them out, but in the meantime, you can check out the other ideas by clicking the image below.