In this BLOG post I will teach you how to make frozen snowflakes!
What is a Frozen Fizzy activity?
Frozen fizzy activities are so much fun! They are a hands-on and get kids exploring and problem solving. You can create them in so many ways, but the base is freezing water or a mixture in an ice cube mold and using it to learn, play and create.
These trees are a holiday favorite!! You can add glitter to make them sparkly or leave them as is. You can add food coloring to the vinegar and water mixture, or not. They are fun and engaging no matter how you do it!
Whichever way you choose to explore them is absolutely perfect. Activities like this are inclusive. There is NO wrong way to play!!
You can pull out all of the trees all at once OR just take out a few and save the rest for another day! My favorite part of this activity is that you can do it with a toddler, a beginning learner or even older kiddos. My 9.5-year-old LOVES doing this. This activity is calming and very regulating for him. I use it as an opportunity to connect with him and we both look forward to it.
Check out these other SNOW-themed Sensory Activities:
Not only are these FUN, but there are also so many learning opportunities.
What happens when you mix green and red?
Did it take a long or short time to melt the trees?
Which one fizzed the most?
How do they feel?
Can you hear the sound of them fizzing? What does it sound like?
Benefits of Frozen Activities:
Strengthen fine motor skills.
Increase opportunities for language & vocabulary.
Practice self-regulation skills.
Work on cause and effect.
Allow opportunities to problem solve.
Exposure to temperature and science topics.
Purposeful ways to practice socials skills (waiting, using manners, taking turns, sharing).
Bilateral Coordination (using both sides of the body).
Materials:
Snowflake mold or ice cube tray
Sensory tray or bowl
Baking soda
Water
White vinegar
Pipette or medicine dropper
Food coloring (optional)
Glitter (optional)
Step 1: Grab a snowflake silicone mold. If you do not have a tree mold, use a regular ice cube tray. These are just as fun as cubes!
Step 2: In a bowl, pour in 2 cups baking soda and 1/2 cup of water. Mix.
Step 3: If you are using glitter, sprinkle it into the bottom of the mold now. Then, fill the mold with the mixture. Freeze for a few hours until solid.
Step 4: Once frozen, place in a sensory tray or bowl. In a cup or bowl, mix together half water and half white vinegar. If you are using food coloring, squirt 3-5 drops in now.
Step 5: Use a pipette or medicine dropper and squirt the mixture onto the letters. Watch as they bubble and fizz!
Fine Motor Tools that you can add into your frozen fun:
Tweezers
Tongs
Squirt bottle
Medicine dropper
Wooden mallet
Pipette
Measuring cups/spoons
Activities like this are an incredible way to strengthen fine motor skills. As kids paint, squeeze and squirt, they are strengthening the tiny muscles in their fingers and hands. Those same muscles are responsible for self-help skills like feeding yourself and zippering your coat. They are also responsible for supporting you during the writing process!
The more we can strengthen those muscles early on through sensory-driven experiences like this, the more supported children will be when they enter school-age.
The possibilities for FUN are endless. You can learn & play & create all through simple materials!! They are great to have on hand for a rainy day, during playdates or on a day when you just need a little something!
While kids explore frozen activities together, they will have the opportunity to work on a TON of social skills. They will be sharing materials, sharing space, practice using their manners, waiting their turn and problem solving together!
They will also be learning from each other! Kids observe EVERYTHING! They will be watching how each person explores the bin. They will learn their own personal boundaries and maybe even be encouraged to try something they may not have before!
SO many language opportunities. SO much social skills practice. SO. MUCH. FUN.
Always monitor young children in or around water. Small objects can be choking hazards. You get to decide what is safe and manageable in your home.
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