It’s easy for kids to have fun with winter STEM in this simple ice and salt activity. Kids can compete in ice cube races, and discover how salt affects ice.
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Ice cubes are not only fun to clink in a glass of water, they’re fun to use in a science activity. Ice cubes and salt are all that are needed to conduct this hands-on play with STEM.
In this activity, kids set up experiments with ice and salt to observe how salt affects the movement of ice. Kids can make changes throughout the experiment, to see how various factors affect the movement of the ice cubes.
This is an open-ended activity that encourages input and response from kids, supporting critical thinking and observation as kids play!
Ice and salt experiment
Here’s how kids engage STEM principles in this experiment.
- observe how ice melts (science)
- use a fan to make wind (technology)
- design and set up the experiment (engineering)
- choose ice cubes of the same size (math)
1. Set up the activity
Set up the activity with a fan, a smooth surface, and ice cubes. Experiment with different surfaces, fan speeds, and other variants to get results kids can observe and identify.
Here are some suggestions for setting up the activity.
- Place the ice cubes directly on the counter top.
- Place the ice cubes on a glass cutting board (turned upside down as the underside is smooth). This is what we used for the ice cube experiments.
3. Place a plastic tablecloth over the table to provide a smooth surface for the ice. Wrinkles in the cloth may also affect the movement of the ice cubes.
We also tried various fans – a small table fan, a slightly larger 12 in. (30 cm) table model, and a floor model. The 12 in. (30 cm) sized fan is shown in the picture. It proved the best for moving the ice cubes.
2. Conduct experiments
Ice Races
Place two ice cubes in front of the fan. Turn on the fan.
See if one ice cube races ahead of the other!
Ice and Salt Friction
Place a row of salt in the path of one ice cube.
The salt halts the progress of the ice cube!
3. Observe results
- We noticed that ice cubes melted faster in the path of the fan than ice cubes sitting off to the side.
- Salt inhibited the movement of the ice cube.
- Ice cubes would slow or stop, and then proceed after melting a bit, as if they moved on a cushion of water.
More science activities on our STEM to STEAM Pinterest board!
4. Make conclusions
Factors affecting the movement of the ice include:
- type of surface on which experiment is conducted
- size of fan and strength of air flow
- salt sprinkled in the path of the ice cube
- ice melting during the experiment
As they play and learn, kids benefit from exploring the challenges presented in this activity, and from the fine motor and sensory experiences it provides.
Simple STEAM activities are not only fun for kids but promote observation and discovery.
That’s worth clinking glasses to celebrate!
