Table of Contents:

1. The truth I clogged the ice maker.
2. Here’s what else I added to my Ice Table Sensory Bin.
3. It’s all about simple.
4. When will you make an Ice Table Sensory Bin for your kids?

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Ice table: sand is so last summer.

Why would I actually put sand in my sand table?! Come on – that’s just so last summer (insert laugh cry emoji here). Instead, turning it into an ice table sensory bin perfect for beating the heat.

Water and Ice activities are my summer JAM. Check out a week’s worth of water/ice activities in this post.

The truth: I clogged the ice maker.

Ok so maybe I’m not as cool as I sound and maybe, actually, the origins of this activity are rooted in error. As in, someone (wink wink) clogged the ice maker and the ice needed to be dumped.

But I’m not about to let good ice go to waste, not when there are toddler’s who need activities.

So I grabbed the bin, headed outside, and dumped the whole thing into my sand table.

Because ice and a sand table naturally go together, right?

Need more summer activities? Check out 50+ Easy Summer Activities for Toddlers.

Here’s what else I added to my Ice Table Sensory Bin.

Obviously, I didn’t just ice-dump-and-run, I added in a few extra touches to make this a real, true, I gave it my best, activity.

I added in a little water – just enough to make the ice float. With the extra water, you suddenly have the option to scoop and sift.

With is why I added in slotted spoons and colanders; my kids added in the buckets because those kids really know how to take an activity and make it just right for them.

Materials:

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• Sand table – this one is just perfect. Simple and perfect.
• Small colanders – these are them and they are THE BEST
• Slotted spoons
• Traffic cones as a make shift bucket
• Sand castle buckets as actual buckets

It’s all about simple.

An activity like this doesn’t need a ton of direction. In fact, once I added in the extra supplies, it kinds of was a dump-and-run activity because I wanted it to be about them and their ideas.

If I hang to close in or interfere, it messes up the whole kid-play-dynamics. And since play is the work of childhood, hanging back and watching that play from the shadows might as well be the work of motherhood.

Make your kids an ice table sensory bin – it’s easy. It’s fun. It’s totally worth the 2 minutes of prep time to give them something awesome to do on a summer day.

When will you make an Ice Table Sensory Bin for your kids?