Ice Boat Race
Two ice cubes, two straws, and a race across a tray of water.
- Ages
- 3–10 yrs
- Play
- 10–25 min
- Prep
- 5 min
- Mess
- some
- Energy
- lively
- Where
- at the table
You’ll need
Things you probably have at home.
- ice cubesGet it on Amazon
- water
- a rimmed trayGet it on Amazon
- strawsGet it on Amazon
Optional
- food coloring to tell the boats apartGet it on Amazon
- a timerGet it on Amazon
- tape for the finish lineGet it on Amazon
How to play
Before you start: Fill a rimmed tray with a centimeter of water. Freeze cubes in two colors if you want teams.
Float a cube at one end of the tray and tape a finish line at the other.
Blow through the straw to push the cube. Blowing at the water, not the cube, works better — let them discover that.
Race two cubes side by side.
Notice together that the cubes are shrinking as you play, and race the last tiny ones.
Finish by seeing who can make the smallest cube last the longest.
What it helps with
Keep it safe
- Blow out through the straw, never suck in — say it before you start.
- Ice cubes are a choking hazard for under-3s.
- Standing water needs supervision at any depth.
Make it different next time
- Slalom around a few cups set in the tray.
- Push with a straw instead of blowing, for younger players.
Cleanup: Tip the tray down the sink.
