Sensory2–4 yrsAt home

Ice rescue

Freeze it tonight, and tomorrow buys you half an hour.

Prep

6 h

Mess

High

How to play

Turn the block out onto a tray. His mission is to free the trapped toys — warm water in a cup, a spoon to chip, a sprinkle of salt. Let him work out what melts it fastest.

  1. a teddy and a block sitting in a tub of water
    1

    Sit small toys in a tub of water.

  2. one solid block of ice with the toys trapped inside
    2

    Freeze it overnight, then turn the block out.

  3. warm water poured from a cup onto the ice
    3

    Warm water from a cup, poured over the top.

  4. a spoon chipping at the ice, chips flying off
    4

    A spoon to chip away at the edges.

  5. the ice melted to a puddle, the toys sitting free beside it
    5

    A pinch of salt, and they finally come free.

What you need

A container, water, and small plastic toys. Freeze overnight.

What it secretly builds

Sensory

Trying one tool, seeing it fail, and reaching for another is problem-solving in its purest form — and he'll stay with it far longer than you'd expect.

Safety first
Use toys too big to swallow, and stay close with the warm water.
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