Ice Painting fun for kids

If you are looking for great fun activities for kids this is towards the top of our list!
This is the first time we have tried this technique of painting and it provides a sensory rich experience that is just perfect for toddlers+.

It gives children the opportunity to explore colour mixing, patterns and feel the texture of the slippery, cold, wet paint. You can also talk about the science behind ice - discuss changes that happen and why. This activity is also great for developing fine motor and gross motor skills and control.

Hands on, learning through play....

You will need:
- Containers such as yogurt pots
- Children's water based paints
- Lolly Sticks
- Paper

















1. Squirt paint into your pot's with a depth of at least 1cm.
TIP: The more paint you use, the thicker and bigger the ice blocks will be. This will provide a firmer block that should stay attached to the sticks for longer.
















2. Put your lolly sticks inside the paint and put in the freezer overnight.

3. Cover a table if possible with paper. This will give a large canvas to truly enjoy and explore the paint.



4. Press around the edges of the yogurt pot to begin to ease the frozen paint blocks out.
TIP: If your paint isn't too thick, don't be tempted to wiggle them out using the sticks. This could release the stick out of the paint.

5. Time to start painting!

Our Experience

This ice painting activity actually worked a lot better than I was expecting:























Little N began painting by using the sticks. She swished them around and tapped them on the table. As the paint began melting it wasn't long before the sticks come away from the paint ice blocks.
It was then (if I am honest with you) that I felt a tad disappointed that they hadn't remained attached for longer but this was when the activity really got underway.














Little N picked the paint ice blocks up and became mesmerized as it started melting in her hands. The blocks were icy cold which gave a great sensory experience. This was when she really started to enjoy herself!





















As she started picking up the different coloured paint blocks she noticed that the colours were mixing together to make new colours.
We even had a go at creating some fun patterns. As she was handling the blocks it wasn't long before they began crumbling into smaller pieces of ice on the paper.

























I could see what was coming so I popped an apron on quickly and Little N was off! She made large circular movements in the paint. Mark making with her fingertips and mixing the colours together. As the paint underneath had already dried by this point she revealed the colourful paintings she had done underneath as she did so.

What a fantastic activity! I already have some paint back in the freezer, ready to do this activity again. This will be great fun to do outdoors when the weather is warmer!!



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