Science for little ones – ice play

This ice activity is simple and a perfect first preschool science experiment or activity.

Ice is great for science investigations as it’s inexpensive to make and can be used in lots of different ways. Children can freeze things in it, melt it as fast as they can, try to stop it from melting, or use it to make slushies or ice cream.

I froze a LEGO man and a dinosaur in ice. Once frozen, we carefully touched the ice and talked about how it felt a little sticky.

It’s generally best to leave the ice out so it starts to melt, or little hands will stick to it, which can be painful.

We then discussed the best place to put the ice for it to melt, eventually deciding to leave it in the garden with the sun shining down.

Sure enough, after a few minutes, the ice was no longer sticky. We tried picking it up and found it quite slippery and cold. The children used the word “freezing.”

This activity was so simple, but it led to lots of questions, giggles, and requests to do it again.

Science for Kids

Why does water freeze?

Water can be a solid, liquid, or gas. In liquid form, the water particles can move around freely, so the water takes the shape of the container it is in. When you cool the water, the movement of the particles slows down, and the particles become tightly packed together, which means its shape cannot change easily.

Why is ice sticky?

Ice feels sticky because when you touch it, the ice immediately freezes the moisture in your skin, which makes the ice feel sticky.

Don’t forget to take a look at my other ice activities and my full collection of science experiments for kids.

Last Updated on March 27, 2025 by Emma Vanstone