We've found that the commercial mix is as cheap as anything we can mix, is much more convenient, and works quite well. We've run a "bubble machine" in the campground some in recent years. A couple of people have used it with the larger "rope loop" bubble makers.

(We got our supply from Walmart, since it's the only "toy store" in Winfield.)

The mix we've used is by Strombecker Corp, and carries a "Tootsie Toy" label. We found it in 100 oz Super Economy Size. It's more commonly found in smaller (7 oz?) plastic bottles, which would be more expensive. Both sizes usually come with an included little "magic wand" that's an insult to the real "bubble head."

A minor(?) consideration is that bubbles can drift and sometimes leave "marks" where they burst on things, and with the commercial mix you can show them the prominent "NON-TOXIC BUBBLES Ages 3 and older" label to de-fuze the occasional protest (sometimes). This mix also seems to have a little less "sting" than most soap/glycerine types I've encountered when a bubble pops between eyeglasses and eyeball, possibly because it doesn't contain the more agressive "cleaning ingredients" of most "soaps" you'd use in a home brew.

John