Chasing Cheerios

Monday, August 1, 2011

Excavating Toys from Ice

Excavating small toys from ice is a yearly summer tradition at our house. This is at least the 3rd summer (maybe 4th) that we have done this very fun activity.

To do this activity, I gathered a bunch of small plastic toys and put them in a glass bowl. I filled the bowl with water and put it in the freezer. I forgot about it for about a month until one really hot day.



When I finally remembered the activity awaiting us in the freezer, I gathered the supplies needed...I put the bowl of ice and toys on a tray along with a hammer, salt, cup of water, water dropper, dull knife, etc.



The girls got to work immediately! They loved hitting the ice with the hammer. They poured a whole salt shaker worth of salt on the ice to help it melt, and they had fun dripping water onto the ice with the water dropper.




They enjoyed this activity so much that they immediately wanted to do it again. We put the toys back in the bowl, added water, and put it in the freezer. It was ready the next day, and they had a super time again. We are on vacation now, but I'm sure we'll do this activity several more times before summer's end.

5 comments:

  1. What a fantastic idea! We're going to have to give it a go too.

    I've only recently stumbled upon your blog and I'm loving it. So many wonderful ideas! Thank you.

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  2. Thanks to your sharing this idea, it has become a summer tradition with my boys the last couple of years, too! So much fun :)

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  3. As they get a little older you could add a golf tee to their tools to whack with the hammer.

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  4. What a wonderful idea, I have now done it a few times with the kids and they just loved it! I posted about it on my blog to!

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  5. I just found your blog. What a great, easy idea! I'm desperate for ideas for educational activities for my toddlers.

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