This activity has been on repeat over here. G will bring me an empty ice cube tray with his animals already strategically placed in there and say “mommy freeze animals.”
I love how easy this is to set up. All you need is the power of time. I often get this set up the night before, but if I forget (and if my toddler doesn’t remind me 😉 I will do it in the morning and the animal ice smash will be ready to go post-nap time.
What you need:
Ice Cube Trays
Little Toy Animals – you can often find some mini dinosaurs or something at a dollar store or the Target Dollar Spot.
But we like using these:
Animal Counters
Bear Counters
Water
Mallet/Toy Hammer
What to do:
- Put the animals in each ice cube tray, fill it with water, and then stick them in the freezer wait for it to freeze.
- Pop them out of the ice cube tray. May need to run under warm water.
- Grab a toy hammer and let your kiddo have fun whacking away at the ice as you encourage them to try and “set the animals free!
Variations: Don’t have an ice cube tray? Add a bunch of animals to a larger Tupperware bin. This will take longer to break through and can be more fun for the older kids.
And some food coloring to the water before freezing for a fun change.
Can’t wait to see how this activity works out for you! If you try it, tag me at @runlikekale so I can share it with my audience. I love to see your variations.
Want more fun activity ideas for those cold or rainy days when you’re stuck inside? Check out the Rainy Day Activity Jar with 40+ rainy day activities for you to do inside with your little one.
