This is a great outdoor activity but a few simple adaptations can easily bring this activity inside during the winter months and actually works well with a winter theme.
Ice is a great medium to practice color mixing. J and I made yellow and blue ice cubes together. This is an activity all in itself, so be sure to include your little one in this step. It's a great way to teach the process of freezing. Let them add the coloring and fill the tray using a scooper or a medicine dropper to include some fine motor skill practice! Then they get to practice patience while waiting to play with their color cubes.
Fast forward to the activity, J first separated the ice cubes into bowls by color and chose to make blue water first. I filled the tray with a small amount of water. Make sure the tray is white/clear so you can easily see the water change colors as the ice melts. J really enjoys scooping and stirring the ice cubes, letting them melt in his hands, etc. He basically plays while watching the ice melt. This is a great time to let them utilize their motor skill practice with tongs or different size (and length) scoopers or spoons. I’m surprised at how long a little ice can entertain!
When he moved onto the yellow ice cubes I asked him which color the water (currently blue) would become and he of course guessed yellow. I told him it was going to be a surprise that he’d have to wait and see. He wasn’t convinced the water was actually green until the very end when there was no denying it. He was sure it should be either blue or yellow!
We then filled the ice cube trays with green water to play with in the future. This activity is free, entertains and recycles itself too!
Ice is a great medium to practice color mixing. J and I made yellow and blue ice cubes together. This is an activity all in itself, so be sure to include your little one in this step. It's a great way to teach the process of freezing. Let them add the coloring and fill the tray using a scooper or a medicine dropper to include some fine motor skill practice! Then they get to practice patience while waiting to play with their color cubes.Fast forward to the activity, J first separated the ice cubes into bowls by color and chose to make blue water first. I filled the tray with a small amount of water. Make sure the tray is white/clear so you can easily see the water change colors as the ice melts. J really enjoys scooping and stirring the ice cubes, letting them melt in his hands, etc. He basically plays while watching the ice melt. This is a great time to let them utilize their motor skill practice with tongs or different size (and length) scoopers or spoons. I’m surprised at how long a little ice can entertain!
When he moved onto the yellow ice cubes I asked him which color the water (currently blue) would become and he of course guessed yellow. I told him it was going to be a surprise that he’d have to wait and see. He wasn’t convinced the water was actually green until the very end when there was no denying it. He was sure it should be either blue or yellow!
We then filled the ice cube trays with green water to play with in the future. This activity is free, entertains and recycles itself too!
Becca also blogs at Fun and Engaging Activities for Toddlers
No comments:
Post a Comment