SAN ANTONIO – Halfway through summer break and the kids are looking for something fun to do. So do Juggle Bubbles and the Hover Ball meet the challenge?
A group of 12-year-old girls at the nonprofit Girls Inc. agreed to help put them to the test to see if they work as advertised.
The Juggle Bubbles come with "no-pop bubbles" and "magic gloves." The ad claims you can pass and catch them and that they won't pop in your hand.
The girls followed directions, filling the tray with solution and dunking the plastic bubble blower into it.
The girls were able to blow softball-sized bubbles and flick them into the air. And they were able to catch them in the gloved hand and bounce them to one another. However, they were not pop-proof.
The Juggle Bubbles are for children 5 and older and cost $10.
"It's very fun," said Robin Kingsley. "But I just think these bubbles pop too easily."
As for the Hover Ball, the packaging boasts it's soft, safe for indoor fun and will glide on "most surfaces."
The Hover Ball has a flat, smooth surface on the bottom.
The girls put the "super slider technology" to the test on a flat carpet, where they put their soccer skills to good use. It did glide easily across the rug. However, it did flip over a few times, which some of the girls found frustrating.
"I think it was really cool on the carpet, but then when we went on the concrete, it didn't work as well," said 12-year-old Cheyenne.
On the polished concrete the Hover Ball tended to drag. The packaging does say it's not for concrete or asphalt and that dirt can affect performance on tile or hardwood floors.
"I think it was fun for inside if you're bored and you can't go outside because it's raining or something," said Alexis, who prefers outdoor sports.
Some of the girls thought it would be more fun for younger kids.
Does it work? While the girls said it was not as fun as a real outdoor soccer ball, they did get a kick of it. The Hover Ball is also $10.