Cool Summertime Ice Play

Here are a few ice play ideas we’ve recently pinned to our Pinterest boards at http://pinterest.com/ccacentralmo.

Magnetic Ice Fishing:  For a fun way to use your magnet play materials, put a magnet in each segment of an ice cube tray, add water, and then add a few drops of food coloring.  Once the ice is frozen, take the ice outside, or add it to your sensory table, and let children explore using the magnetic wands.

Ice Boats:  To make the boats, freeze larger chunks of ice in re-purposed containers (yogurt containers work well).  Add food coloring or liquid watercolor to the water before freezing.  When the ice is about halfway frozen, add a “sail” from paper taped to straws or toothpicks.  Let children play with the ice boats in the water table and explore the floating, melting, color mixing, and more.

Monster Ice:  This can be done using ice cube trays for smaller “monsters” or larger containers for big ones.  Cook some spaghetti, and then make it different colors with food coloring.  For each “monster” add wiggle eyes and spaghetti “hair” to the ice cube tray, then cover with ice and freeze.  Children can play with the “monsters” outside and explore the feeling of the frozen spaghetti thawing.

Ice Chalk:  Mix one part cornstarch and one part baking soda with two parts water and a few drops of liquid watercolor.  Freeze in ice cube trays, and then let the children draw with the ice chalk on the sidewalks.  For an extra thrill, put some vinegar in a spray bottle, and let them spray their drawings and watch the chalk fizz.

Jell-O Ice:  You can freeze Jell-O cups purchased from the store, or mix up a box of Jell-O and put it in the freezer rather than the refrigerator.  This makes a colorful, yummy-smelling, and non-toxic sensory play material.       

Sunny Summer Fun!

The lazy days of summer are here, and we know you’re always looking for new ideas to keep the children cool and occupied during these warm weather months. You can find an abundance of activities, themes, and inspiration online. Here are a few things we recently found:


Invisible Beach Drawings

Give children white crayons and a large sheet of manila paper. Encourage children to draw beach or ocean themed artwork with the crayon then paint over the drawings using blue, green, and brown watercolors to create water and sand. This is a great way to use up those white crayons nobody wants to use, and the manila paper lets the white show just enough that children can see what they are drawing and be amazed at how the drawings show up under the water color.

Pass the Ice Cube

This game is played just like Hot Potato, except you use an ice cube! Try playing outdoors on a hot summer day. Have the children sit in a circle then instruct them to pass an ice cube around the circle while you play music. See who has the ice cube when the music stops, or see how many times you can pass it before it melts away.

Kool-aid Painting

Sprinkle unsweetened powdered drink mix in a variety of flavors on sheets of paper, then give the children ice cubes to move over the paper. The ice will melt, dissolving the drink mix and creating colorful designs. Plus it smells delicious! Be sure to wear smocks or old clothes, because it might stain.

Beachy Dramatic Play

Create a fun beach or swimming pool theme for your dramatic play area. Add beach towels, empty bottles of sunscreen, goggles, blow up toys, sunglasses, and big floppy hats.

Summer Quiet Place

For a fun, summery quiet space where children can read a book, calm down, or just be alone, set up a small plastic pool in the classroom. Try setting it up first as a cutting practice area, and provide scraps of blue and green construction or tissue paper. Let the children cut or tear the paper into little pieces, reminding them to keep the “water” in the swimming pool. Once the paper is shredded, use it as a sensory area where children can dig through the paper shreds using shovels, scoops, or their hands. In a few days, empty the pool and put in some beach towels and swim rings, and let children snuggle up with a book or soft toy.

Chalk Time

We’ve all given children sidewalk chalk to create with on warm days. You may have even had children “paint” the sidewalk with water and a large paintbrush on hot days. But have you ever combined the two? Dipping chalk in water before using it makes the colors more vibrant. Or let children draw with the chalk, then “erase” with the water. Try encouraging children to draw roads with the chalk then use toy cars on the roads.

Cool Sensory Play

Use your sensory table, or empty plastic tubs to explore ice cubes. Simply put the cubes in the tubs and provide your usual water play props. Or add to the experience by dropping food coloring in the ice cube trays before you freeze them. Children will enjoy watching the colors mix as the ice melts. You can also provide shakers of table salt, and show the children how the salt melts the ice. See if you can get the cubes to stick together using the salt!

Ball Painting

Hang a large piece of paper (or try an old, light colored sheet) on your fence outside. Give the children paper plates with some paint and a variety of soft, small balls. Have them dip the ball in the paint, then throw the ball at the canvas. Try nerf balls, koosh balls, golf balls, or whiffle balls and see what patterns the different balls make. Do this on a hot day, and let the kids wear swimsuits then run through sprinklers to wash off any paint.

Sources:

http://www.preschool-plan-it.com/

http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/

http://www.everythingpreschool.com/