Ice Excavation & The Art of Distraction

​Dinosaurs, digging and tools are a few of my boys' favourite things. So, when they discovered how to create mini ice excavations to free frozen dinosaurs, it was NEXT LEVEL!

This STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) and sensory play has since become the kids' favourite activity not only because it's fun and easy to do but it also helps them to focus on something engaging, quickly. There is nothing quite like hammering away at blocks of ice to unwind and release energy – for both kids and parents! 

Now, we always keep an ice tray full of frozen creatures. Preferably, near the ice packs for injuries in our freezer. What is the method behind the madness? When the kids (or I) feel grumpy or get a bump, we quite literally break ice as an ‘ice-breaker’ and a distraction from the stinging pain of cold ice pack on owie!

In fact, experts advise the art of distraction is often effective to help calm kids down, especially when they are hurting or need to let go of tension. Now, even the kids' play-dates request this fun, easy and engaging activity when they come over. A win-win for everyone :) Learn how we do it, below.

WHAT WE USE:

• Ice trays, baby food trays or muffin trays
  
• Small creature figures including dinosaurs, animals and bugs
  
• Water
  
• Play tools including hammers, drills, pics
  
• Water spray bottles (optional)
  
• Gem stones, water beads or other fun figures (optional)
  

LET'S CREATE!
Invite the kids to place a creature figure in each open space of the ice tray. Then, help them to pour water into each space and put the ice tray in the freezer. When the water has frozen, remove the ice tray from the freezer and extract the ice blocks onto a large surface (preferably on the ground, outside). Then, let the kids excavate away at the ice blocks with their toy tools to free the fossilized bugs or dinosaurs! Another option is to use water sprays to slowly melt the ice blocks. My kids also like to find different things to freeze to keep it interesting, such as tiny trinkets and water beads.

CONNECT & INSPIRE...
Not only is this activity an effective distraction and releases energy, it also develops skills such as:

• STEAM play to learn the science that water and ice are the same substance:
  
• water can be frozen from a liquid to a solid.
  
• Sensory play to experience different temperatures and textures with fingertips: ice will remain frozen if kept in low temperature environments, and ice will melt at higher temperatures.
  
• Imaginative play to create small world play scenes, especially for dinosaur loving kids.
  
• Fine motor skills to pour water, hold slippery ice and use tools to break the ice.