Your Child Will Learn
How liquids can change their state from liquid to frozen
Here’s What to Do
- With your child’s help, pour juice or milk into small paper or plastic cups. Ask your child to observe the juice/milk. Is it liquid? Solid? In between?
- Cover the top of each cup with aluminum foil, then poke a popsicle stick or spoon through the foil (you might need to cut a hole with scissors first). Put the popsicles in the freezer, maybe putting on a plate or tray first to keep them from tipping.
- Set a timer for one hour. At the end of an hour, take them out and observe one with your child. Is it liquid? Solid? Something in between?
- Repeat once an hour, and ask your child to observe how the liquid changes over time (it should take about 4 hours for a 3 ounce cup to freeze. When fully frozen, remove the popsicle from the cup and eat!
Put PEER Into Action
PAUSE
- Ask your child: Are you ready to start a yummy experiment? Great! Let’s begin!
ENGAGE
- “Can you hold the cup while I pour in the juice? Can you help crinkle the aluminum foil over the top? I’ve made the hole, can you put the popsicle stick in?”
- Every time you check the popsicles, ask questions like: “What do you notice about the juice right now? Can you pour it? Is it warm/cold? What happens when you touch it? What does it smell like? How is it different from the last time we checked?”
ENCOURAGE
- “I know it’s so hard to wait for the popsicles to freeze! What are some fun things we can do while we’re waiting?”
- “Wow! The juice seems different now. What do you think happened to the juice? Yeah, it was a liquid but now that it’s frozen it’s a solid!”
REFLECT
- What are some other times you can think of when things go from liquid to solid? What else freezes? Can you think of a time when the opposite happens, when something goes from solid to liquid (melting)?
Not Quite Ready
Engage in water play that incorporates ice cubes (in the bath or in a bowl of water)
Ready for More
Observe the melting process! After the popsicles are frozen, take one aside and observe what happens as it melts (and how long it takes). Optional: observe the difference between melting a popsicle indoors and outdoors.
As Your Child Masters This Skill
They will understand that liquid can change forms, but that it’s still the same material.
Time to Complete
15 minutes active, plus 4 hours for freezing time
Materials Needed
Small paper cups (any freezer-safe cup will work, but bigger cups take longer), popsicle sticks (you can also use spoons instead), juice or milk, aluminum foil, a freezer