Early years activity: Ice rescue mission

In this fun and engaging activity, children work together to rescue small toys frozen in blocks of ice. It's a fantastic way to experiment, explore cause and effect and stay cool in warm weather. The activity encourages teamwork, communication and problem-solving, supporting personal, social and emotional development. Children are naturally fascinated by ice and will be curious and excited to watch it melt, making this a great opportunity to spark wonder and learning through play.

Ice rescue mission learning aims

Build confidence in trying new strategies to solve problems
Work together cooperatively, taking turns and sharing tools and ideas
Problem-solving and making independent choices.

Resources you will need for this activity

Small waterproof toys
Natural objects (such as leaves, flowers or stones)
Containers for freezing (ice cream tub, small bowls, etc.)
Warm water in bowls or squirty bottles
Pipettes, salt, spoons or brushes.

Ice rescue mission activity outline

Before the activity, fill a variety of different containers with small toys or natural objects, top up with water and freeze them overnight to create ice blocks.

Show the children the frozen blocks and explain that the toys are stuck and need our help to be rescued
Spark empathy and thinking by asking the children “How do you think the toys feel being stuck in the ice?”
Talk about how we can work together to rescue the toys. Invite children to work in pairs or small groups, choosing tools such as pipettes, warm water, brushes or salt to melt the ice
Encourage children to communicate, negotiate, and try different strategies. Prompt them with questions like, “What do you think will happen if we pour warm water?” or “Why is that block melting faster?”
Model language and introduce new words like melting, frozen, pipette, solid and liquid. Narrate what children are doing to reinforce vocabulary and support understanding
Prompt children to observe changes, such as noticing that smaller blocks melt faster or that salt speeds up the melting. Comment on effective methods and celebrate discoveries
Once the toys are free, gather the group to reflect. Encourage conversations about: What worked best? How did it feel to help the toys? etc.

How to extend this activity

Create a story together about how the toys got frozen and how the children became heroes
Freeze fruit slices for a cool snack and talk about making healthy choices.

NDNA products to support you with this activity

Little scientists leading the way - Development Zone

Disclaimer: Activities with children must always be risk assessed, including for allergies or choking. Children must always have adequate supervision. Resources and materials must always be appropriate for children’s age and stage of development.