Add this super fun frozen water beads activity to your science activities for preschoolers and kindergarten kids. There is so much learning to be had with this unique experience!
You can freeze water beads in a few different ways, using them for both sensory and science activities. I love that you can make adjustments to this idea based on the ages, needs, and interests of your students!
I think the frozen waterbeads activity works very well with your summer lesson plans. But you can truly explore this concept any time of the year. You can even make some tweaks to the idea based on different seasons, holidays, and thematic units.
Related: Summer Activities for Preschoolers
This idea originally came to me when I was deciding on activities for my son’s sixth birthday. He was really into Skylanders at the time, so I made a “frozen jewels” sensory bin based on Slam Bam. It was a hit with the kids, let me tell you!
Then over the years, it’s evolved into various science and sensory activities involving freezing water beads. I love that we’ve explored the concept in a multitude of ways, with different age groups of children.
Frozen Water Beads
A word of caution to start with. Water beads are NEVER to be used with anyone who is likely to put items into their mouths, ears, etc. Keep them away from babies, toddlers, pets, and any people that might use them inappropriately. As with every idea I share here on Fun-A-Day, appropriate adult supervision is required!
Related: Water Beads (Activities and Tips)
Below you’ll find a few ideas regarding how to freeze water beads, as well as supply suggestions and tips for playing with the ice cold beads. Keep in mind that you don’t have to do things exactly the same way I have!
Materials for the Freezing Water Beads Activity
Here’s what we used for the frozen water beads fun (I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post):
- Rectangular ice cube trays
- Round ice cube trays
- Fully expanded water beads
- Water
- Salt
- Sensory bins
- Bowls
In different iterations of the water bead freezing, I’ve also incorporated a variety of different sensory play tools. Here are some of the ones we’ve used over the years:
- Scoops
- Twisty droppers
- Tongs
- Funnels
- Scoopers
- Ladles
Grab what you have on-hand, as well as the items that your students enjoy using for science and sensory activities!
How to Freeze Water Beads
There are a few different options when it comes to freezing water beads. It really just depends on how you want to do it. I’ll share what has worked for us, but feel free to try something different if you want to!
If you want the kids to play “find the frozen jewel” or something along those lines, freeze the beads like this:
- Place 1 water bead in each ice cube tray section.
- Fill the remainder of the tray up with water.
- Place in the freezer overnight, or at least until frozen.
If you want to make water bead ice cubes, with multiple beads in each, do this:
- Put as many beads as possible in each section of the ice cube trays.
- Add a bit of water to hold them all together.
- Freeze overnight.
To see what happens to water beads when they’re frozen on their own, do this:
- Fill ice cube trays with water beads, trying to get as many into each compartment of the tray.
- Put the tray into the freezer, and let everything freeze overnight.
Once everything is completely frozen, you’re ready to let the kids explore and play!
Frozen Water Beads Science and Sensory Play
Place the icy cold water beads into the sensory bin of your choice. If desired, have extra water nearby, along with a variety of tools for the kids to use.
If you’d like, challenge the kids to excavate the frozen jewels. They can use whatever method they’d like (within the parameters of your rules and expectations of course). Different kids will come at this challenge from different angles. Here are some things you might observe:
- Kids using the warmth of their hands to melt the ice
- Children pouring cold water over the frozen water beads
- Students using warmer water to get to the beads inside the ice
- Tweezers and tongs being used as “ice picks” to break up the ice
If you have salt and are okay with the children using that to melt the ice, that’s another option. Just ensure they have supervision at all times.
In addition to the jewel excavation game, you can turn the frozen water beads into a sensory experience. Place them in water, or next to a sensory bin filled with water. You can even add them to a sensory bin filled with plain ice, or maybe insta-snow!
How the Kids Play with Icy Water Beads
When we first tried our hand at frozen water beads, the children called them “frozen jewels” and “frozen sapphires” (and a few called them “frozen pacifiers” because they weren’t sure what sapphires are).
They asked for bowls of water to help unfreeze the jewels, and a lot of time was spent scooping water onto the ice cubes. Of course, then many of the kids decided just to dump the ice cubes into the bowls of water. Pretty smart on their parts!
After a bit, my son asked, “Mama, what’s that white stuff? That makes the ice melt faster? Pepper?” To which I replied, “do you mean salt?” “YES! We need some of that right now . . . pleeeeease!?” So I brought them little bowls of salt to use on the ice cubes. Some of the children added the salt to the bowls of water that had ice cubes floating in them. Others just buried the frozen water beads in the salt.
Each child was ecstatic when they freed a jewel from its frozen jail. They’d shout, “I got one!” It was such a hit that we ended up making more and testing out additional ways to freeze water beads. The children enjoyed exploring the shape and textures of the various water bead cubes.
More Ice Activities for Kids
If the frozen water beads were a hit with your students, here are a few more ideas to check out:
You can find even more ice play ideas when you’re done here!
STEM Challenges
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Originally published May 2013.
Oh what fun! Looks like the kids had a blast ! Love your take on the ice prison smash 🙂
Amy*
Thank you, Amy!! Yes, my son and his buds really did enjoy this take on the ice prison smash. They’re still talking about it this week. 🙂
Doesn’t that make all the hard work worth it? I’m sure your son will treasure the memory of that party for years. Now wear your “cool Mom” badge with pride 🙂
Amy*
Awww, thanks Amy! I will — oooh, too bad it’s not a real badge to wear!
Awesome. Looks like fun!
Thanks so much for invite, Kristen! These really were a lot of fun for the kiddos (and me too)!
We just discovered water beads, now I will try freezing them. Definitely going to pin!
Thanks so much, Mama H! They were SO into freezing the water beads, and I know we’ll be doing more of this as it gets warmer around here. Let me know how it goes if you try it this summer. 🙂
What a fun activity!
Thanks so much, Crystal!! 🙂
What a cute idea! Sounds like it was a big hit!
Thanks so much, Amy!!
I was planning on this activity for my daughter’s upcoming frozen party. Unfortunately my frozen water beads are not coming out as described. Mine are falling apart. Any suggestions? I “grew” my water beads first. Was I suppose to just put them in the ice tray before it “grew” as a tiny “egg?”The party is on Saturday. Please help!
Oh no, Jennifer! I’m so sorry that you’re having some trouble with the “frozen jewels” . When we did this, we “grew” the water beads first. Then I put them into ice cube trays with some water. Are you freezing the jewels without any water in the trays? That might cause them to fall apart. So that’s my main suggestion – make sure there’s at least some water in the ice cube trays with the water beads. I hope that helps!! And I can’t wait to hear about the birthday party. 🙂
Looks like an amazing activity for kids! Awesome idea, Mary!
Thanks so much. The kids definitely enjoyed it! 🙂
Brilliant idea! And the water beads weren’t damaged by freezing them? Did you freeze them when they were already grown or when they were tiny? I’m going to reuse this for a Frozen birthday party.
Thanks, Stacey! I need to update this post and share more information! We ended up freezing them when the beads were already grown (and had been played with for a while). Freezing can damage some of the beads, but honestly we didn’t really notice or care that much. It was such a fun new way to play with the water beads. Let me know how the Frozen birthday party goes!