Dino Ice Dig

If your child loves dinosaurs, this Dino Ice Dig activity is going to be a huge hit! It’s easy to set up and will have your child melting ice with salt and water to free toy dinosaurs and other treasures from a frozen block of ice. Science, water play, and fine motor development are all wrapped up in one in this fun, icy activity!

--WHAT YOU'LL NEED--

Toy dinosaurs
Stones (optional)
Shells (optional)
Plastic crystals
Large container
Salt (coloured with a few drops of blue food colouring)
A shaker container for the salt
Spoons
Syringes
Tweezers
Bowl of hot water

--STEP 1--

In a large container, freeze your ice block in layers, over the course of a couple of days, adding a few items to the water, placing the container in the freezer, and repeating with another layer when the previous one is frozen.

--STEP 2--

When your ice block is ready, pour a little hot water over the container and wait till the block slips out. Then set up a space for "digging" either out in your garden, bathtub or dining table. If setting up in your living room, cover your table with towels.

--STEP 3--

Start out by getting your kids to sprinkle some of the colourful salt all over the ice block. This kickstarts the melting process.

--STEP 4--

Use spoons or syringes to pour hot water over the ice, and get digging with your spoons.

--STEP 5--

As the ice block gets smaller and smaller, help your kids break off chunks of ice and free the different treasures.