Alphabet ice pods are as fantastic as they sound.
You know us, we like to freeze small toys. So this time, we scooped up our favorite alphabet letters and plopped them directly into the muffin tin for alphabet ice pods. This cold and icy sensory play is perfect for a hot summer day.
It’s sensory play mixed with science and literacy. What more can we ask for?
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Alphabet ice pods expose children to the letters of the alphabet.
What I am looking for here is that my preschooler touches the different letters.
I want my four-year-old to explore how letters are made up of lines, curves, slants, and tunnels. As my preschooler rescues the letter from the ice pod, he is also holding it in his hands, taking a closer look.
But that’s not all this alphabet sensory activity is doing!
As the ice melts, my preschooler is discovering the water cycle.
Excellent addition to this activity is using a salt grinder to help melt the ice. As he witnesses the chemical reaction, he is also strengthening his fingers to improve fine motor strength.
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We play with alphabet ice pods on the water table – aka storage bin.
I know what you may be thinking. Is that a water table? It looks a lot like the under-the-bed storage bin I have my college tank tops stored in.
Well, you aren’t wrong. This is, in fact, an under-the-bed storage table that can also be used as a makeshift water table.
I use this water table along with a buffer zone underneath to catch the excess water. See here how we set up the sensory play.
Set up this preschool sensory activity in advance.
- Fill the muffin tin with water and freeze. The letters will float to the top but will freeze just fine.
- Next, allow the ice to freeze overnight and keep it in the freezer until you need an indoor activity.
- When ready, place the alphabet ice pods on the water table.
- Include squirt bottles and a salt shaker to help defrost the ice.
- Chat about the letter names and sounds as your child discovers them from the sensory ice pods.
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Supplies for Alphabet Ice Pods Sensory Play
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- Muffin pan
- Learning Resources Lower Case Lacing Letters – The link also has an option for uppercase.
- Squirt bottles
- Salt (optional)
- Under the bed storage bin – aka your water table
- Something underneath – Here, I use our indoor cycling mat.
Most of the sensory exploration is up to my preschooler!
As he melted the ice, my four-year-old called out a letter and asked questions about letter names when he was unsure.
He also spent time moving the letters around the melted ice and going in his own direction with imaginary play.
I am not sure about all the details, but certainly, there was a rescue mission involved at some point.
Ready? Let’s freeze some alphabet letters for a sensory exploration on the water table!
