Frozen Treasure Rescue Sensory Bin
When it's hot outside, it’s great to have an easy sensory activity that can keep everyone cool and entertained at the same time! This frozen treasure rescue is easy to make and can build important skills like frustration tolerance and fine motor skills.
Materials Needed
• A plastic container or bowl
• Water
• Small plastic toys (animals, dinosaurs, gems, letters, etc.)
• A small cup of warm water
• Tools like spoons and toy hammers
• A towel or tray
Instructions
The night before you want to play with this sensory bin, place the toys inside of your plastic container or bowl. Then, fill it with water until the toys are covered and freeze it overnight.
When you’re ready to play, take your ice block out of the container or bowl and place it on a tray, towel, or on the ground outside for easy cleanup! Let your child rescue the treasures using the cup of warm water, spoons, toy hammer, or other tools. Encourage them to experiment with different ways to melt or break the ice.
Exploring Your Senses
Your child will experience different temperatures, textures, and sounds while exploring the ice. You can encourage them to notice these things and comment about them.
Try saying things like:
• Brrr! This ice is cold!
• How does the cold feel?
• Is the ice slippery or rough?
• What happens when the warm water touches the ice?
• Can you make a loud sound with the hammer?
Problem Solving
This activity is a great opportunity to use pretend play to practice problem solving and asking for help.
Try saying things like:
• Lion is stuck in the ice! How can he ask for help?
• Let’s help Lion get out of the ice! How can we get him out?
• Which tool works best to chip away the ice?
Starting a Conversation
As you play alongside your child, you encourage requesting, commenting, and describing throughout play.
Practice using phrases like:
• Help me.
• I found it!
• It's melting.
• Pour more water.
To spark a conversation about what you are doing, you can ask questions like:
• Do you see any more gems?
• Which one should we get out next?
• What colors do you see?
• How many gems can we find?
Fine Motor Skills
As your child chips away at the ice, they will strengthen the muscles they use for things like writing, dressing, and self-care. Give them a variety of tools so they can use each of them and explore which one works best.
Frustration Tolerance
Frustration tolerance can be difficult for every child, and practicing it can help prepare children for school and beyond. Since treasures won’t come out immediately, this is a great way to practice dealing with frustration in a low-pressure setting. Continuing to chip away the ice, trying a different tool, asking for help, and even waiting for the ice to melt are all valuable opportunities to practice dealing with frustrating moments. When things do get frustrating, you can help your child use their coping skills to stay calm.
You might try:
• Taking a deep breath before trying again
• Asking for help, like “Can you help me?” or “Can we do it together?”
• Trying a different tool or a new strategy
• Using positive self-talk, like “I can keep trying” or “I’ll try another way”
• Taking a short break and coming back to the problem with fresh eyes
Simple sensory activities like this Frozen Treasure Rescue are a fun way to practice valuable skills like problem solving, fine motor skills, and frustration tolerance. Plus, the toys you use can help you tailor this activity to your child’s interests. With a little ice and a lot of curiosity, you’ll create meaningful learning moments that your child will want to revisit all summer long!
