Watercolour on ice
Turn a block of ice into a magical, swirling canvas using watercolours or food colouring - perfect for a hot day or an indoor sensory surprise.
There’s something a little magical about watching colours bloom and swirl across melting ice. This simple sensory art idea takes just a bit of prep but leads to plenty of play and wonder.
Freeze water in a container the night before to create your canvas. Then set it out with a few tools - paintbrushes, pipettes, droppers, or spoons - and some diluted watercolour or food colouring. As the ice begins to melt, the colours blend and shift in beautiful ways.
Add toys (what about Elsa and Olaf...
Materials
Prep
Step 1:
Fill a container with water and freeze overnight. For extra fun, place small toys or flowers in the water before freezing.
Step 2:
Prepare watercolour paints or mix a few drops of food colouring with water in small cups.
Play
Step 1:
Set out the tupperware with ice, or remove the frozen block from the container and place it on a tray or shallow dish.
Step 2:
Set out brushes, droppers, or spoons and the coloured water.
Step 3:
Let your child drip or brush the colours onto the ice and observe the swirling effects.
Step 4:
Encourage them to notice changes as the ice melts - textures, trapped objects emerging, and colour mixing.
Step 5:
Keep towels nearby for easy clean-up.
Extend
Frozen Treasures: Hide tiny toys, buttons, or nature items in the ice for added discovery.
Salt + Colour: Sprinkle salt on the ice before painting to create cracks and tunnels for colour to flow into. Also a great STEM learning opportunity!
Ice Sculptures: Freeze ice in different shaped containers and stack or arrange them before painting.
