Dolphins Flip and Spin Bubble Rings to Play Underwater Games
Dolphins are one of the most intelligent creatures on Earth, but they also know how to have some fun. The marine mammals have all sorts of ways to play — chasing each other, riding on waves, and passing a piece of seaweed around as if it were a toy, according to research in Current Biology. But there’s one hobby that’s especially amusing to dolphins: blowing bubble rings.
By expelling air from their blowholes while underwater, dolphins can produce a doughnut-shaped vortex that rises to the surface. But these bubble rings aren’t just made randomly, and the process of making them isn’t as simple as it may seem. As dolphins tap into their fun-loving side with bubble rings, it turns out that they use great deal of creativity and careful consideration.
Dolphins Playing With Bubbles
Dolphins blow a variety of bubbles for different purposes; sometimes they release a bubble stream along with a noise to communicate. When they’re startled or excited, they may react with a bubble burst formed by a rapid exhalation. Bubbles are even hunting tools for dolphins, used as nets to corral fish.
Bubble rings, though, are reserved mostly for playtime. Observations of dolphins have shown that handling the rings they create almost functions like a game for them. This game is surprisingly complex, calling for strategic thinking from dolphins. And like any game humans play, it also requires practice.
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Practice Makes Perfect
When dolphins make bubble rings, they go through two important steps associated with bodily control. They first have to precisely adjust the air pressure inside of their lungs. Then, they have to open their blowholes for just the right amount of time to let out the perfect ring; this involves deliberate control of muscles, as the blowhole — which is covered by muscular flaps called nasal plugs — is sealed off when a dolphin is underwater.
As a result, dolphins can control the form and timing of bubble rings. Some dolphins in oceanariums have also been observed going to the bottom of a pool to blow bubble rings, indicating that their position in the water column influences whether or not they engage in this type of play, according to a study published in the National Library of Medicine.
After positioning themselves, dolphins tend to nod or jerk their head before creating the bubble ring. They’ll then manipulate the ring by churning water with their fins, causing it to change its direction or flip around.
Dolphins aren’t always satisfied with just one bubble ring, either. They’ll occasionally try to make a second bubble ring that merges with the first one to craft a larger, combined ring. However, dolphins don’t add a second ring every time. They’ll only do so if the first ring is high quality; if it isn’t, a second ring may not join it. So when the first ring is not up to snuff, the dolphin simply won’t try to make a second one.
This shows that dolphins actively monitor their bubble rings, and then plan what they want to do with it based on its quality. This illustrates dolphins’ astounding intelligence, which is on display every time they play.
A Fun Game for Dolphins and Whales
Dolphins get each other involved in their bubble ring pastime by sharing instructions. A mother dolphin, for example, will guide her young as they learn the process. She’ll watch her baby’s attempts to create rings, and then produce their own to serve as an example, according to another study published in the National Library of Medicine.
Other cetaceans, including certain whales, also have their own games with bubbles. A May 2025 study showed that humpback whales blow large bubble rings that look like smoke rings when observed from above. They tend to make these rings when approaching boats, suggesting that it’s a friendly sign of curiosity toward humans.
These games involving bubble rings prove that dolphins and whales can entertain themselves, all while showing off the smarts of the brainy cetaceans.
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