Kaili loves playing in the water and I wanted to start incorporating colors but I am hesitant with using food coloring. The best part of water play for a toddler is pouring it all over the place.  It goes back to philosopher Jean Piaget’s Sensorimotor stage, toddlers learn by doing and these experiences help them understand cause and effect.

I will never forget years ago when I was teaching in OC. I made colored Gak using food coloring. The kids loved it but it turned their hands pink. No biggy right? I mean it will come off in the bath or at least in a day or two…Well one of my girls father was not happy to say the least. That was the last time I did that, I still haven’t recovered. So that is why I am hesitant with putting food coloring in any sensory activity.

Along with not wanting to turn my daughters skin different colors I also don’t want to ruin clothes, or our backyard flagstone. I decided instead of colored water, how about using colored ice cubes? I did use food coloring but I felt more comfortable with it in this form, call me crazy.

This is a perfect summer sensory activity. It will help keep the kids cool and it’s a learning experience. I still didn’t want do this activity in our backyard so I took it to the front yard and let her play in the water while we were having our block party.

In reality, Kaili is getting her top molars and thought the ice  would feel good on her teeth. I struggled with keeping the ice cubes out of her mouth and then decided this was not a great activity to do while a child is teething. We will try it again in a few months.