Ice Tunnels

This morning, I set up a fun science activity for Collin, Reagan, and Kate.  We used blocks of ice, rock salt, and watercolors to create ice tunnels.

I put a different watercolor (you can also use food coloring) in each of the six muffin cups and added a heaping tablespoon of rock salt to each cup.

I had filled a few small containers with water and put them in the freezer earlier this week with this experiment in mind.  I put the blocks of ice in our water table, and gave the kids eye droppers to use with the salty watercolor mix.

Boo was interested in this activity for a minute or two, but luckily he decided a nap was in order. There was obviously a lot of salt used in this experiment, and salt is very dangerous for dogs.  I was happy he decided to nap and I didn't have to work extra hard trying to keep him away from the salt.

This is an experiment that takes time and patience.  At first, the color is just dripping down over the ice, but as the salt starts to melt the ice, tunnels are formed and the color drips into the tunnels.  It is a good experiment to show why salt is used on icy winter roads, and it is just a fun activity.  All three kids enjoyed this, mostly because they just like using eye droppers and pretending to create concoctions!

 Here you can see the tunnels forming.

 Kate continued to play LONG after Collin and Reagan had stopped!  She really liked using the eye droppers, and it is great fine motor practice!

In the end, I was probably the person most impressed by the tunnels of color in the ice, and that is okay.  It's all about the process and learning a little about the effects of salt on ice!  Plus, it's a very cool art activity with some fine motor practice thrown in, and even a sensory element with the ice!  All around cool!

I almost forgot to mention that we have done this before with regular table salt.  The rock salt works much faster, and I think it creates better tunnels!