Super Elastic Bubble Plastic facts for kids
| Type | Children's toy |
|---|---|
| Owner | Wham-O |
| Country | USA |
| Introduced | 1970 |
| Discontinued | Mid 2000s |
Super Elastic Bubble Plastic was a popular children's toy. It was made by the company Wham-O from the 1970s through the 1980s. This toy let kids create their own plastic bubbles. These bubbles were much stronger than regular soap bubbles.
Contents
How to Make Super Bubbles
Super Elastic Bubble Plastic came in a tube. Inside was a gooey, plastic substance. You would squeeze out a small, pea-sized amount. Then, you'd roll it into a little ball. Next, you put one end of a thin straw into the plastic ball. You would blow into the other end of the straw. This made the plastic inflate into a bubble! To finish, you just pinched the hole closed. This sealed the air inside your new bubble.
What Made These Bubbles Special?
These bubbles were different from normal soap bubbles. They felt a bit like bubblegum. They were much stronger and lasted longer. You could gently move them to make different shapes. You could even stack them to build simple figures, like a snowman! The size of your bubble depended on how much plastic you used. However, they were not as strong as regular balloons. They could pop easily if you blew too much air into them. They would also pop if handled too roughly or squeezed too hard.
The Science Behind the Bubbles
The plastic substance was mainly made of something called polyvinyl acetate. This was mixed with a liquid called acetone. There were also other chemicals added to make the plastic stronger. When you blew into the straw, the acetone quickly evaporated. This left behind a thin, solid film of plastic. That's how the bubble formed and held its shape!
Why the Toy Was Discontinued
Super Elastic Bubble Plastic had some problems. The liquid plastic could be messy if spilled. Also, the substance gave off strong fumes. These fumes could become trapped inside the straw. This made it unsafe to breathe in while blowing a bubble. Because of these safety concerns, the toy was not recommended for children under 5 years old. Eventually, Super Elastic Bubble Plastic was stopped from being sold. Toys like this are now banned in Canada. Super Elastic Bubble Plastic itself was recalled in Canada in 2016. Other similar bubble-making toys still exist today under different brand names.
