Toddler Practical Life: Ice Cubes and Water

This is an excellent exercise for a hot summer day!

Material needed:
- A small bucket of ice cubes
- A punch bowl full of water or juice
- Ice tongs that are suitable for small hands
- A workspace at a low table

What to do:
1. Invite your child to join you for this exercise
2. Using the tongs, pick up an ice cube and transfer it into the punch bowl.
3. Ask your child if he or she would like to try. Hand the tongs to your child.
4. Let your child transfer all of the ice cubes to the punch bowl. He or she can observe the ice floating and melting in the liquid.

At the end of this exercise, you can also show your toddler how to use a ladle to pour the water or juice into cups.

Alternatives to this set up include using hands instead of tongs, putting the ice into a basin of warm water to watch it melt, or using tongs with something easier to pick up.

More Montessori curriculum on our site here.