It is always at the forefront of our minds what interesting, fun and educational activities we can do with our toddlers.
These experiments with ice cubes for toddlers are a wonderful way of combining fun whilst learning at the same time.
The simple ice activities include science, art and even some mathematics could be involved too!
Our toddlers not only enjoy doing various activities but help in the preparation is just as enjoyable.
Benefits Of Experiments With Ice Cubes For Toddlers:
- Fine Motor Skills: Using the various tools in the experiments such as brushes and droppers.
- Creativity: Our toddlers imagination can create lots of ideas with the paints.
- Learn About Cause And Effect: They can see the relationship of different objects and what happens between the two.
- Use Of Senses: Using ice as a base for an activity is great for our children’s touch sense.
Fizzing Ice Cubes
The fizzing ice cube experiment is a great scientific activity for all and will leave our toddlers open-mouthed in amazement.
It is just as amazing for us mummy’s too to watch the fizzing begin.
As the vinegar is dropped onto the ice cubes it is interesting for our kiddies to see how the colours “explode.’
Not only this, but my little girl and I found the fizzing noise the most satisfying to hear and the small bubbles being created.
If possible, use a variety of coloured ice cubes so another educational factor can be added to the activity.
Our toddlers can learn about what happens when particular colours are mixed together eg. Red + Yellow = Orange.
Equipment Needed:
- Bicarbonate Of Soda
- Food Dye
- Vinegar
- Water
- Ice cube tray
- Dropper
- Tray
Instructions:
- Mix bicarbonate of soda with water and food dye.
*50/50 ratio of bicarbonate of soda and water.
*As few or as many drops of food dye as you like.
*The more drops the higher the colour intensity.
- Put mixture into ice cube holders and place in freezer for a few hours
- Place coloured ice cubes onto a tray
- Fill droppers with vinegar
- Take ice cubes out of the freezer and place on a tray ready for experiment.
- Squeeze vinegar onto ice cubes and watch how they fizz.
Frozen Process Art
If my daughter is anything to go by then painting is ALWAYS at the top of the list of things our toddlers love to do.
This frozen process art is the perfect alternative to the regular activity of painting on paper and using ice as our canvas instead.
As the paint is brushed onto the ice it will gradually move as the ice starts to melt and different art will be created.
We are currently enjoying to learn about the alphabet so my toddlers initial was the first thing to paint.
Check out our other process art articles for more ideas;
Low Mess Process Art For Toddlers
Rain Boot Painting: Process Art For Toddlers
Equipment Needed:
- Tray For Ice
- Water Paints
- Paintbrushes
Instructions:
- Freeze a tray/ container of water (with a large surface area) for a few hours or even better overnight.
- Use water paints and paintbrushes to paint onto the ice.
- Allow toddlers to be as creative as they like and watch as the colours start to change, join together and slide around.
Salt Water On Ice Experiment
One of the other experiments with ice cubes for toddlers involves salt.
This could be a good science refresher for us mum’s too.
What happens when snow falls on the streets?
Salt gets laid to help clear the roads for safe driving.
Well we can do a mini scientific experiment showing this salt effect to our toddlers.
Equipment Needed:
- Ice Cube Tray/ Ice Tray
- Dropper
- Cup
- Salt
- Water
Instructions:
- Freeze a block of ice/ ice cubes for a few hours or overnight.
- Prepare a cup with a mixture of water and salt and stir well.
- Fill the dropper with salt water.
- Using the dropper, splash the salt water onto the ice and watch as it starts to melt in the touched areas.
Digging For Frozen Objects
As mentioned in our Super Simple Summer Activities For Toddlers article, digging for frozen objects is such a fun activity/experiment for our toddlers to do and even better in the summer time outdoors.
The objects placed inside the ice cubes or block can be as large or as small as you wish.
Ideas of objects to put inside the ice could be Lego pieces, toy cars.
Alternatively you could go outdoors and find some flowers or leaves to freeze.
Allow your little ones to use different tools to try and dig for the objects and see how long it takes.
They can use their imagination to think of what they could use to help.
Equipment Needed:
- Ice Cube Tray/ Ice Tray
- Water
- Objects For Inside Ice
- Tools To Dig For Objects ( Toy Hammer, Fork, Spoon…)
Instructions:
- Place chosen objects In a tray with water to freeze.
- Leave in the freezer for a few hours or overnight.
- Give some tools to toddlers to encourage them to start digging.
Chalk Ice
We love this idea so much we have already previously mentioned it in our 13 Super Simple Summer Activities For Toddlers.
TheBestIdeasForKids.com has created a fantastic alternative to regular chalk which is made with ice cubes.
Take a look at their recipe to make Chalk Ice that toddlers (and older kids) will love to use outdoors.
