Painting on Ice

Age: 
2 and up 

What you need: 

  • Water
  • Container
  • Freezer
  • Water color
  • Paint brush

How to:

  1. Put water in a container and put in the freezer overnight
  2. When you are ready for the activity. Take out of the freezer and take the ice out of the container. 
  3. Place the ice on a plate or tray 
  4. Give your child the water color and paintbrush and let them go for it. Paint the ice 

This activity is simple and has minimal clean up, which is a pulse. This can be done with small ice cubes, big ice cubes, fun shapes, ordinary shapes. It makes for a fun summer activity when it is hot outside and is great for art and science exploration. 

Prompts: 

While they are exploring this activity you can ask:

  • What does the ice feel like?
  • Why do you think it feels sticky when we first take it out of the freezer?
    • Answer: it feels sticky because when you first take the ice out of the freezer it is still VERY cold and therefore freezes any moisture in your figures of the paintbrush. 
  • Is it getting easier to paint on as it melts? Why do you think that is?
  • Do you see the paint go through the cracks of the ice? (tip: when they are done you can rinse and show them that the paint has seeped into the ice)

Objective: 

This is a great science experiment to allow children to experience what melting ice does and feels like. Ice turns into water. This also allows them to explore textures and is a great sensory activity for little ones. Have fun exploring and watch the color melt together to create a new color.

Published by Christelle

Former Montessori School Teacher and Child Life Specialist. Specialize in early childhood education.

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