Why do it?

This is another good activity for playing outside in hot weather.

It’s an opportunity to notice and talk about what happens to the ice — it starts as water, freezes into a block, melts into a puddle, evaporates into the air and disappears.

Playing with ice is also an opportunity to explore how coloured ice blocks mix with plain water.

It’s also a chance to make and eat frozen treats — ice blocks made of water/diluted juice with a piece of fruit frozen in the middle.

How to do it

You need an ice block tray for the freezer, some ice cream sticks for making frozen treats, small pieces of fruit, food colouring and a basin.

Make plain ice blocks together. When the ice has formed, explore what happens when you put an ice block outside.

Try putting pieces of fruit and ice cream sticks with liquid in the ice block tray (this could be diluted fruit juice) to make frozen treats for later.

Try making ice blocks with food colouring in them. Fill a basin with plain water and drop the coloured blocks in, and then watch them melt.

Using more te reo Māori

Pouaka whakamātao Refrigerator
Pākatio Freezer
Whakatio(hia) To freeze
Tio Ice
Haupapa Ice, frost
Makariri Cold
Wai Water
Rewa Melt, become liquid
Teretere, pūrewa Float
Tōhihi Puddle of water
Tāora Towel
Hua rakau Fruit
Rau Leaf
Kai Eat
Kia rua ngā momo hua rākau Choose two pieces of fruit
Kai reka Treat
Reka Delicious
Titiro mai Look here
Titiro ki te tio Look at the ice
Kei te aha? What's happening?