Frozen Toy Rescue
What you need
- a plastic tub of small toy dinosaurs frozen in a block of ice
- a tray
- a cup of warm water and a spoon
- a small pot of salt
- an old paintbrush
How to do it
- Tip the ice block out of the tub onto the tray and look at it together: which dinosaurs can they see stuck inside?
- Hand over the spoon and the cup of warm water to drip, dribble and scrape at one side of the ice.
- Sprinkle a pinch of salt on another side and brush it about, then compare: which side is melting faster?
- Keep going until every dinosaur is free, counting them out onto the tray as they escape.
Why it matters
A dinosaur stuck in ice is a real problem with a real reward, so they keep trying new ways to reach it: dripping, scraping, salting.
What they're learning
- Trying another way
- When the spoon stops working, the warm water might.
- Comparing sides
- Salt side or warm side: which is shrinking?
- Careful pouring
- A little at a time, right where it's needed.
What to look for
Notice them swapping tools when one way stops working.
A tip
Warm water from the tap is plenty, never hot. Stay beside them the whole time the water is out, keep the salt away from mouths and eyes, and tip everything away when you finish.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: skip the salt and pour warm water straight over the block, a little at a time
Harder: freeze a second block and ask them to guess which dinosaur will come out first, then watch to see
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Sensory activities · Toddler activities with a spoon · Toddler activities with cups · Toddler activities with a tray · Toddler water activities