Did you know that babies don’t feel cold the way that adults do? As I watched Riley interact with the ice cubes in this activity, I found it interesting that she didn’t seem to notice that the ice cubes were cold. She interacted with them like they were any other toy.
Set up
The night before I froze poms into ice cubes to make the ice cubes more appealing. On the day of, I set up my plastic table cloth and taped it to the floor with painters’ tape. I brought out my heavy 9 x 13” Pyrex dish to put the ice cubes into. I also brought out Riley’s favorite squirty bath toys and filled them with warm water. This way we could help the ice cubes melt faster. I had a container of warm water nearby so I could keep refilling the bath toys.
Riley's experience
Riley enjoyed moving the ice cubes around, and taking them in and out of the tray. She loved squirting her bath toys, though I did have to help her aim the warm water at the ice cubes. She closely investigated each ice cube and the poms inside. As the ice cubes began to melt, Riley enjoyed pulling at the poms poking through. Since the tray was slowly accumulating water at the bottom, she enjoyed splashing around in the water. Riley is a big fan of water play!
Age range modifications
younger babies, you can place the ice cubes inside a plastic bag and have this be a tummy time activity or supported sitter activity. Placing the ice cubes on the tray of a high chair is also another idea.
older toddlers and kindergartners, give them pipettes, squirty toys, or containers of different temperature water. Have them investigate which type of water helps the ice cubes melt the fastest.
Benefits
- Physical development: Riley is working her fine motor skills through grabbing, reaching, dropping, squeezing, holding, pinching, and splashing.
- Language development: Riley is learning new vocabulary as mama narrates what is happening. She is hearing words such as cold, warm, squeeze, fuzzy, slippery, wet, hard, ice cube, water.
- Cognitive development: Sensory play promotes more neural pathways to form as more senses are involved.
Links to materials
