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Winter Ice Jewels

By Melissa Lennig on . This content contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Have you ever froze Ice Jewels with your kids? They are simple to make and perfect for winter imaginary play!

Ice Jewels: Winter Imaginative Play for Kids | Fireflies and Mud Pies

This post contains affiliate links. Opinions are my own.

We started by filling regular sized balloons with water and liquid watercolors. We placed the balloons outside to freeze overnight. The next morning, the boys and I went outside to check them. Much to our delight, the balloons had split and slid off of the ice. The boys got down to the business of playing right away!

RELATED: Winter Critter Snowman

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Winter Ice Jewels

Materials:

Directions:

To make your own Ice Jewels, drip several drops of food dye or liquid watercolors into balloons, then fill with water. Tie and rinse the balloons, then place them outside (or in a freezer) overnight. Please note that as your children play, a small amount of liquid watercolors may get on their mittens.

Ice Jewels will keep as long as temperatures stay cold! My children enjoyed theirs for a long time!

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My kids enjoyed pressing the ice jewels into their snow fort. They looked like bright holiday lights in the sun! They also liked towing them through the yard on their sleds. My oldest pretended that he was a dragon, hoarding jewels in his lair. My little one tried to steal them, and ohhh how the dragon would R O A R !

RELATED: Winter Nature Hike

DIY Ice Jewels | Fireflies and Mud Pies

How do your children like to play in the snow?

About Melissa Lennig

Melissa is a mom of two boys, a former Elementary School Counselor, and the author of Sticks and Stones: A Kid's Guide to Building and Exploring in the Great Outdoors. She shares easy crafts, activities, recipes, and parenting tips on her blog, Fireflies and Mud Pies. Follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

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Comments

  1. virginia says

    January 11, 2013 at 4:56 am

    I am thinking about using some natural materials to make the dye, rather than food coloring? Might not be as bright though….but less stain, if that matters. What about freezing leaves and other colorful things into the balloons… will experiment

  2. Roopa says

    January 16, 2013 at 11:25 am

    We make these t play in the HOT summers here in FL. I use washable paints/water colors to make the colored water, that way our dress/hands are not stained 🙂

    • Mandy says

      January 17, 2013 at 3:10 pm

      Thanks for your comment on the washable paints. I have been wanting to ask Melissa if that would work, but just haven’t gotten a chance to get on and ask. The idea looks really fun, but I didn’t want to stain up their coats, clothes, etc.

  4. jenn says

    January 26, 2013 at 12:09 am

    I made these for my preschool class the other day. I think I had the exact same blue dye experience! They loves them and their hands got a bit stained but it did not get onto their lothes at all.

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