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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Kids will not only have fun painting with ice cubes, they'll discover how mixing two colors together can result in a different color.

Brrrr! Painting with ice cubes can be a chilly activity. Feel free to slip a glove on one hand to hold the ice cube.

 

Instructions for painting with ice cubes

 

1. Cover your table with with a towel or drop cloth.

2. Provide different types of paper or cardboard to be used as a canvas.

 

                        

 

We used parchment paper (left) and aluminum foil (right).

Regular paper will get too wet, as the ice cubes melt during the activity. 

 

 

3. Place dabs of paint on the paper.

Note: Parchment paper may have to be taped to the table top to prevent it from rolling under.

4. Rub an ice cube over the paper to mix the colors. Red and yellow make orange!

 

Make prints from ice cube paintings

 

1. Place a sheet of paper over the paint before it dries.

2. Press down gently.

3. Remove the paper right away. If it sits on the paint too long the colors will become blended together on the paper.

 

 

Look at the wonderful design you have transferred to the sheet of paper!

 

4. Frame the print by gluing it to a backing of construction paper or a craft foam sheet (shown here).

Repeat the process with aluminum foil and different color combinations.

Rub the ice cube through the paint. Mix blue and yellow together to make green!

Place a sheet of paper over the paint. Remove the paper right away.....

 

.......to reveal a beautiful print!

 

 

 

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 their beautiful paintings.

 

Visit our Painting Activities Pinterest board for more fun painting ideas!