Painting with Ice Cubes Process Art Activity
Painting with ice cubes is a fun process art activity that also provides a sensory and fine motor experience. Kids can make beautiful designs on paper with ice cubes, then preserve their pictures with prints in this fun creative process.
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An ice cube painting activity is fun for a winter theme, but it can be enjoyed any day.
This is a process art activity, meaning there is are no rules and no expected result.
- The only result you'll get is a beautiful picture, unique to each painter!
Kids will not only have fun painting with ice cubes, they'll discover how mixing two colors together can result in a different color. This adds some science fun to an art activity.
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Brrrr! Painting with ice cubes can be a chilly activity. Feel free to slip a glove on one hand to hold the ice cube.
Painting with ice cubes
In this activity, kids use ice cubes as painting tools.
Related: DIY Paint Tools from Everyday Items
Before the paint dries, a piece of paper is placed over the paint to make a print.
This will create beautiful artwork that is ready to be framed!
Instructions for ice cube painting
Cover your table or a large tray with with a towel or drop cloth.
Choose parchment paper (left) or aluminum foil (right) as your canvas. (affiliate links)
- Regular paper will get too soggy, as the ice cubes melt during the activity.
Tape the paper or foil to the table or tray to secure.
Place dabs of craft paint on a sheet of foil. (affiliate link)
Rub an ice cube through the paint. Mix blue and yellow together to make green!
Make prints from ice cube paintings
Place a sheet of paper over the paint. Remove the paper right away - don't let it lay too long on the paint.
Lift the paper to reveal a beautiful print!
Repeat the activity on a sheet of parchment paper.
Mix red and yellow to make orange!
Cover the paint with a sheet of paper. Press gently.
Remove the paper right away.
- If the paper sits on the paint too long the colors will blend together and the paper will get soggy.
Look at the wonderful design you have transferred to the sheet of paper!
Frame the print by gluing it to a backing of construction paper or a craft foam sheet (shown here).
Sliding an ice cube through paint colors results in a fun sensory experience.
Kids will love engaging with the colorful paints and cool ice cubes. And they'll be excited to share and display their beautiful paintings.
Visit our Painting Activities Pinterest board for more fun painting ideas!