Fun summer ice cube crafts for kids

Don’t let the summer heat put a halt to your backyard fun! Ice cube crafts will keep kids busy and cool at the same time!

What you’ll need:

• cups and bowls, assorted sizes
• water
• food coloring
• freezer

What you’ll do:

1. Spread your cups and bowls out on the counter. The more shapes and sizes, the better.
2. Put several drops of food coloring in the bottom of each bowl.
3. Fill the bowls with water. Vary the amount of water you put in each bowl so that you have different size blocks.
4. Place the bowls in the freezer.
5. Once all of the water is frozen, remove the bowls from the freezer. Run warm water over the outside of the bowl to release the ice block.
6. Take the blocks outside and start stacking!

What you’ll need:

• glass baking dish
• assorted waterproof toys
• water
• freezer
• plastic utensils

What you’ll do:

1. Place several toys face down in the glass baking dish.
2. Pour water over the top of the toys so that they are completely covered.
3. Place the dish in the freezer.
4. Once the ice has frozen solid, remove the dish from the freezer. Turn the dish upside down to remove the ice block.
5. Place the block outside and let the kids chip away at the ice with plastic utensils to free the toys.

What you’ll need:

• ice cube tray
• craft paint
• water
• popsicle sticks

What you’ll do:

1. Put a dollop of paint in the bottom of each section of the ice cube tray.
2. Pour water over the paint until it fills each section of the tray.
3. Stir each section with a popsicle stick to mix the paint in with the water.
4. Place the ice cube tray in the freezer.
5. Let the water harden in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Pull the tray out of the freezer and put one popsicle stick in each section to make a handle.
6. Put the tray back in the freezer to harden completely.
7. Remove the frozen paint from the ice cube trays. Hold the paint by the popsicle stick handle and paint on a piece of paper as the ice cube melts.

What you’ll need:

• ice cube tray
• water
• straws
• scissors
• construction paper
• hole punch

What you’ll do:

1. Fill the ice cube tray with water and place it in the freezer.
2. Pull the ice cube tray out of the freezer before it has had the chance to freeze completely.
3. Cut straws in half and place the straw in the center of the ice cube. Be sure that the straw is as centered as possible, or the boat will be off balance.
4. Place the tray back in the freezer to harden completely.
5. Cut sails for the boats out of construction paper. Use the hole punch to punch a hole at the top and bottom of the sail.
6. Pop the ice cubes out of the tray. Slide the construction paper sail on to the straw, then place the boat in water for an ice cube sail boat race!

Image credit: Amy Vowles

More ideas for summer fun

5 Cool summer crafts for kids
Easy crafts for kids for outdoor fun
Create an outdoor kids’ carnival out of cardboard boxes