Ice and Fruit Tray
Cold, wet, and exactly what a teething mouth wants.
- Ages
- 9 mo–2 yrs
- Play
- 10–25 min
- Prep
- 5 min
- Mess
- some
- Energy
- calm
- Where
- at the table
You’ll need
Things you probably have at home.
- ice cubesDon’t have it? Amazon
- a rimmed trayDon’t have it? Amazon
Optional
- a towel underneath
- a spoon
- a cup of warm waterDon’t have it? Amazon
How to play
Before you start: Freeze a tray of large ice cubes. Make them big — smaller cubes melt to a swallowable size quickly.
Set the tray on a towel and tip two or three large cubes onto it.
Let them touch one and watch the reaction. Cold is a genuinely new idea.
Push a cube around and let it skate away from their hand.
Dribble a little warm water on and watch it shrink.
Stop and dry their hands well before the cubes get small.
What it helps with
Keep it safe
- Ice is a choking hazard. Use large cubes, stay within arm's reach, and take them away before they melt small enough to swallow.
- Never leave a baby alone with ice or standing water, not for a moment.
- Cold stings — keep sessions to a few minutes and dry hands afterwards.
Make it different next time
- Freeze a slice of orange inside a cube for something to look at.
- Do it in the high chair at the end of a meal when everything is already wipeable.
Cleanup: The towel takes most of it.
Three more like this
Learn something
Tummy-Time Squish Bag
5–15 min 3–12 months Low mess- a gallon zip-top bag
- clear hair gel
- duct tape or strong tape
