Rainbow Ice Cube Melting

Watch colorful ice cubes melt and mix into beautiful patterns while exploring temperature, color mixing, and cause-and-effect.

How to do it

1. Prepare colored ice cubes the night before by adding drops of food coloring to water in ice cube trays and freezing.
2. Set up a comfortable workspace with towels underneath a large clear bowl.
3. Pour warm (not hot) water into the bowl, filling it about halfway.
4. Let your child drop the colored ice cubes into the water and observe what happens.
5. Encourage exploration by asking open-ended questions like 'What do you notice?' or 'What happens when red meets blue?'

What you need

• Ice cube tray
• Food coloring (red, blue, yellow)
• Large clear bowl or container
• Warm water
• Towels for cleanup

Make it yours

Try freezing small toys or natural objects (flowers, leaves) inside clear ice cubes. Use different water temperatures to compare melting speeds. Add salt to create faster melting reactions.