Ice Painting

Kids love creating colorful artistic masterpieces, and now they can do so while learning a bit about science! This hands-on science activity for kids will teach your little ones about the freezing and melting processes. As they explore their artistic talent, they will learn about the differences between liquids and solids.

Activity Instructions

First, collect the paint and let your little ones pick how many ice cubes they want of each color.

Then, help them pour the paint into the ice tray and have the kids put a craft stick into the center of each cube. The paint should be dense enough to hold the sticks up, but you can cover the tray with plastic wrap and poke the sticks through it if needed.

Put the tray in the freezer. While the paint is freezing, set out newspapers over your table to protect it from the paint.

After the freezing process is complete, help your kids pop the paint cubes out of the tray. As the paint melts, they will be able to create colorful pictures. As they paint, talk to your kids about the differences between solids and liquids—and how a solid becomes a liquid and vice versa.

Consider showing kids how colors mix using our color chart.

Materials

• Ice cube tray
• Tempera Paint
• Craft Sticks
• Paper
• Newspaper
• Plastic wrap (if needed)

Outcome

The changing of liquids to solids and solids to liquids is an important idea to master. Your little ones will explore the changing states of matter while exercising their creativity.