The winter months can seem long and boring for kids who are stuck inside. So end the boredom with these fun winter science activities for preschoolers that will keep them busy, learning, and most importantly having fun!

Winter Science Activities for Preschoolers The Melting Ice Experiment

Giving students time to explore ice and the environment they live in is beneficial for learning. One of our favorite activities we do each winter is what can melt ice experiment Besides the sun and warmth there are other methods to melt ice too like rock salt! To begin this winter science activity for kids you can grab this printable winter activities that includes everything you need for this science experiment and more!

First, we set up the same number of ice cubes in each glass. If you are doing this with a classroom you may want to break your class into smaller groups and give each group about five cups. Then, place in the same number of ice cubes in each cup which keeps the variables the same. The kids can even count each of the ice cubes to add in some math and number sense fun too. Next, give each child a printable recording sheet to record their observations for the different items to try and melt the ice. In addition, you can use things like vinegar, baking soda, rock salt, pepper, corn starch and pretty much any other kitchen ingredient you have on hand or what is the cheapest in the stores. Just make sure you have rock salt which is the ingredient that melts the ice.

Allow your kids to add different ingredients onto the ice and record their results. Students will make observations about color, smell, and more with this printable handout, which you can even type in your own ingredients too!

Finally, after the results are in, you can discuss why rock salt melts ice and how in the winter time we use rock salt to melt the sidewalks and roads so people do not slip and fall. Even though we repeat this activity each year we still have a lot of fun trying different ingredients and learning more about rock salt.

Check out several other winter science activities for preschoolers below and fill up your winter days with fun hands-on learning!

The Melting Snow Fort

Like the melting ice experiment above this melting snow fort is easy to use too! For this you will need sugar cubes and different household ingredients too. First, allow kids to stack up the sugar cubes to make a snow fort. Then, use different ingredients to see what melts the sugar cubes. For one of the ingredients you can use warm water with blue food coloring, which is really fun since the blue food coloring will spread out and melt the sugar cubes.  

Snowflake Salt Painting

Although this winter science activity is already a fun art project there is some science behind it too. To begin, just use liquid glue to make a snowflake on a piece of construction paper. Next, dump salt all over the snowflake glue and let it dry. Once it is dry shake off the excess salt and reuse for another glue and salt idea. Then, mix blue food coloring and water together to make some paint. Finally, give your kids a paintbrush or a dropper to add the food coloring water mix onto the salt and watch the coloring spread! It is super fun to watch!

Tasty Ice Cream Made out of Snow

This tasty ice cream recipe is only four ingredients and the main one is snow! To make this tasty science experiment grab about 5 cups of freshly fallen snow. Next, add in a cup of milk, ¼ cup of sugar, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract and mix! You will need to mix it fast and might need to add in more snow as it compacts but it is quite tasty! I have seen other recipes for using condensed milk, but we never have that in our house. Add in some sprinkles and toppings and you have a delicious ice cream treat. Now this one has to make the list of winter science activities for preschoolers because it is fun and tasty!

Exploding Snowman

Now I suggest completing this science experiment outside on a warmer winter day to keep the mess out of the house or classroom. All you need is a sandwich bag, paper towel, vinegar, baking soda, and permanent markers. Next, draw the face of a snowman on the sandwich bag and fill it about one third full of vinegar. Next, in a paper towel place baking soda and roll it up into a little sack. Then, hold the paper towel above the vinegar in the bag. When you are ready to explode the snowman let the paper towel drop into the vinegar and seal the baggie up fast. Finally, the snowman will inflate and explode. This is a fun winter science activity to learn about chemical reactions.

Fake Snow Science Experiment

One of our favorite things here at Crafty Curriculum is sensory bins because they are great for increasing fine motor skills and strengthening hand muscles. You can find winter sensory bin ideas here. This fake snow experiment becomes one of our sensory bins during the wintertime. It is so much fun to play with and with only two ingredients it is easy to make! Mix two and a half cups of baking soda and a half cup of white hair conditioner, that’s it! This super easy fake snow science experiment feels cold, and kids can easily make snowmen and snow forts with it too. We love this for sensory bins and even gather up our sensory tools to play in the fake snow too.

How Much Water is in Snow Science Experiment

Personally, I had no clue how much water was in a pile of snow, so this science experiment taught us both a lesson! All you need is snow, a jar, and a tape measure. First, fill the jar up with as much snow as possible. Then, measure the amount of snow. After all the snow has melted then measure the amount of water. Finally, discuss all the possibilities as to why this happens. I find talking with kids about the why part is just as important, so they understand what is happening around them every day.

We love these winter science activities for preschoolers because they are easy, cheap, and hands-on! We know from experience these science activities will end the boring winter days with your kids too! Let us know which one is your favorite in the comment section!

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