Ice Cube Painting Summer Art for Kids -

My kids love summer, mostly because they get to spend so much time outside playing. Between the trampoline jumping, bicycle riding, and tree climbing, they usually need to cool off often. Popsicles are great, but how about being able to get cool and create something while doing it.

Our summer ice cube painting is sure to leave your kiddos feeling refreshed and proud of their creative mind. This activity is super easy and requires simple art materials that you probably already have lying around. See how many different colors can be used and combined to create new colors!

Supplies for the ice cube paint activity.

Bin of ice cubes, paint pallet, and glass of water.

Use the watercolor paint pallet to paint the ice cubes different colors.

Recommended Grade Level:

preschool

kindergarten

Early Elementary

Supply List
Coordinating Activities

Summer Ice Cube Painting Supplies:

Ice Cube Trays
Water
Bin
Watercolors
Paintbrush
Small bowl of water

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Find even more engaging activities in the Life Over C’s shop!

Process Art in Preschool

process art vs product art

PROCESS ART IS ALL ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT IT PUT INTO MAKING THE ART. PRODUCT ART IS ALL ABOUT THE END RESULT AND THE FINISHED PRODUCT.

Process art, such as ice painting, is a great way to get kids to focus on creativity, hands-on experiences, and sequencing.

Our children can come up with so many different process art ideas. Encourage children to use their creative minds and take their time on what they are making. When painting ice cubes you can ask some of the following questions:

What makes ice melt?
Why do we put the tray in the freezer?
What is the difference between watercolor paints and food coloring?
What other art projects can we make using ice?

Why Is It Important For Kids To Complete Process Art Activities?

Children are naturally curious about everything around them. Creating and using their imagination can bring about many developmental benefits.

Fine Motor Skills

Whether your child is using a paintbrush, ice cube, or their fingers, painting can strengthen fine motor skills. These skills include dexterity and coordination.

Social Connections

Children can share experiences and commonalities just by creating art together. Our kids don’t need to speak the same language, be the same age, or from the same culture to understand art.

Problem Solving

Making choices and evaluating decisions is a big part of process art. What color will look best for this flower? How can I make my house with different shapes? Brainstorming is a great concept that comes out of creating art.

Connecting Math

Math concepts are found everywhere in art. Can you find the shapes in the boat you made? What patterns do you see in this drawing? How could we sort the different animals in this photograph?

Tools you’ll need

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Don’t worry about making a special trip to the store. You can get all the supplies for this activity right here. Click the pictures above to get what you need.

How To Make Ice Cube Painting:

How To Make The Summer Craft For Kids

Step One:

Fill the ice trays with water and freeze. Once frozen, place the ice cubes into a tray.

Step Two:

Use the watercolor paints and small bowl of water to paint the ice cubes! Try painting the cubes a variety of different colors.

Step Three:

Watch the water melt along the way and repaint as often as desired.

Our Favorite Sensory Activity Books:

We can’t live without these!

Once your child’s creativity is sparked with this fun activity, take it a step further with these engaging resources:

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150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids: The Very Best and Easiest Playtime Activities from FunAtHomeWithKids.com! Sensory Play for Toddlers and Preschoolers: Easy Projects to Develop Fine Motor Skills, Hand-Eye Coordination, and Early Measurement Concepts Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids: 60 Easy Creative Play Projects That Boost Brain Development, Calm Anxiety and Build Fine Motor Skills The Book of Slime – A Kid’s Guide on How to Make the Best Slimes of All Time Ultimate Slime: DIY Tutorials for Crunchy Slime, Fluffy Slime, Fishbowl Slime, and More Than 100 Other Oddly Satisfying Recipes and Projects–Totally Borax Free! Kitchen Science Lab for Kids: EDIBLE EDITION: 52 Mouth-Watering Recipes and the Everyday Science That Makes Them Taste Amazing Kitchen Science Lab for Kids: 52 Family Friendly Experiments from Around the House (Volume 4) (Lab for Kids, 4)

Snow Painting

Let’s skip ahead to winter. This great activity can also be used when the snow starts falling. Check out our Snow Painting Activity.

Star Ice Painting

Another great way to cool down in the summer is to create star ice paintings. Perfect for the fourth of July while waiting for the fire works.

Lemon Painting

After making lemonade use the leftover lemons to create a painting masterpiece. Check out the Summer Lemon Painting available on our website.

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Unicorn Ice Cube Painting for preschoolers.