Living in the Midwest, you gotta get creative with the activities you do during the long winter. We have been enjoying the snow and been sledding a few times, but there are days when it’s just too much to get the kids outside.
This ice activity for toddlers and preschoolers is perfect for such days!
I saw this activity on several different IG accounts, and we tried it for the first time last year, and my boys absolutely loved it and did it multiple days in a row.
And just last week, my 4 year-old asked to do this activity again. So I whipped together this activity, and I kid you not, it kept my boys occupied for 2 whole hours! They insisted on “freeing” every single animal, so it gave me time to sip on my coffee, wash my face, and even put on some makeup too.
I hope it gives you some much needed quiet time as well.
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Materials Needed for “Free the Animals”: Ice Activity for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Arctic Animal Figurines (any other animal figurines will do)
- Freezer safe container (We used one of the bins from our toy organizer)
- Larger bin to contain the mess
- Salt
- Droppers or Syringes without needles
- Warm Water
Step 1
Place animal figurines into a freezer safe container with water and freeze until solid. We have a tiny freezer, and also since it’s been so cold outside, we just placed it on our balcony for a few hours and it was ready to go.
It’s super low-prep, but it takes a while for the water to freeze, so it’s best to prep this activity the night before you plan on doing it.
Step 2
This activity can get a bit messy with all the ice melting and the salt getting sprinkled, so I used a large plastic bin to contain the mess.
I put the block of ice, bowls of warm water, droppers and syringes, and salt into the bin, and let the kids play.
I also start the activity by saying “your mission is to free all the animals!” My boys are super in Paw Patrol these days, so any sort of rescue mission is exciting for them 🙂
Will You Try This Ice Activity for Toddlers and Preschoolers?
“Free the Animals” was such a hit with my boys. Additionally, this is a great sensory activity, and using the droppers and syringes help with fine motor skills as well. So it’s really a WIN all around!
Video of the Activity
Check out the reel for this activity on Instagram!