We have been talking a lot about the winter weather but have been experiencing more rain than ice this year so the children and I decided to make some ice. The children helped fill the ice cube bags with water and then placed them in the freezer as we talked about how the cold would turn the water to ice.
The next day the children bounded in asking if their ice had frozen so we looked and it had! The children used their fingers to move the ice around, talking about the feel of the ice and the cracking sound it made as it moved. We decided to combine science and creativity by painting our ice. Using liquid watercolours the children painted their ice cubes, watching the paint become absorbed into the ice. The children commented on the size of the ice cubes and counted how many they were painting.
When the children were satisfied with their creations we decided to add some salt. The children noticed the effect that the salt had on the ice, causing it to begin to break down and melt. We talked about how people use salt on the roads in winter to prevent them being slippy.
I was amazed that though such a fun and simple activity we had covered all areas of learning and development:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development: working together to fill the ice bags
Physical Development: holding the bags and the paintbrushes
Communication: talking to each other about what they were doing and seeing
Literacy: Practising holding writing materials through use of paintbrushes as well as identifying the sounds of the ice.
Numeracy: discussing the shape and number of ice cubes
Understanding the World: Talking about the change from liquids to solids and relating the activity to the gritters on the roads.
Expressive Art: creating colourful patterns within the ice
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