The ghost ice preschool Halloween activity is a fun (and easy!) way to engage kids with sensory play and science. Melt ghostly ice cubes for an exciting Halloween play adventure.
Ghost ice preschool Halloween activity for silly science fun
This idea came together at 11:00 p.m. when I was just about to head to bed.
I had this sweet girl coming over in the morning and I wanted to do something with ghosts.
Before I knew it, I was mixing up white water, adding in googly eyes like Salt Bae, and in minutes I had this adorable activity prepped and in the freezer.
We both had such fun with this activity and I cannot wait for you to try it, too!
Why the ghost ice preschool Halloween activity is so cool (pun intended)
This activity is super easy to prep and you might already have everything you need on hand.
Ghost ice is the perfect thing to pop out of the freezer when you need a quick activity (and older kids can prep most of it, too!).
When playinh, kids can explore different methods to melt the ghost ice, like using spoons, warm water, and eyedroppers.
It’s an open-ended activity that encourages problem-solving and creativity—ideal for little scientists.
Check out some other preschool Halloween science experiments:
- Fizzing Halloween cauldrons
- Halloween Lava Lamps
- Halloween Insta-Snow Sensory Bin
- Spider Ice Halloween Activity for Kids
Materials
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- Water
- White kids’ paint
- Ice cube trays
- Googly eyes
- Warm water
- Spoons or eyedroppers
Directions
- Mix water with a splash of white paint.
- Pour the white water into ice cube trays and sprinkle on a bunch of googly eyes.
- Freeze overnight.
- The next day, provide your child with the frozen ghost ice cubes along with some warm water and spoons or eyedroppers.
- Invite your child to melt the ghosts and discover the googly eyes!
💡 Teacher Tip: When done, rinse the googly eyes and reuse them for future projects.
7 “boo-tiful” additions to extend your ghost ice science activity
- Experiment with different temperatures of water to see which melts the ice faster.
- Make the melting process a race—who can melt their ghosts first?
- Sprinkle some salt on the ice and watch how it speeds up the melting.
- Use different sized ice cubes to create a variety of “ghost” shapes.
- Use tongs to pick up the ghost ice, strengthening fine motor skills.
- Pair the activity with a Halloween book for a spooky storytime.
- Mix in some Halloween-themed toys or erasers to the ice cubes for added fun.
Benefits of sensory play in preschool Halloween activities
Sensory play is a crucial part of early childhood development, and this ghost ice preschool Halloween activity is a fantastic way to engage those senses.
As children melt the ghost ice, they’re not only practicing fine motor skills but also exploring temperature and texture.
This hands-on approach helps build cognitive connections and fosters creativity.
Plus, with the fun, spooky theme, it’s a perfect fit for your preschool Halloween theme!
Incorporating literacy into your ghost ice preschool Halloween activity
Activities like this are perfect for adding a layer of imaginative storytelling and literacy skills.
While engaging in the activity, invite your child to create a story about the ghosts.
Try these story starters:
- Who are the ghosts?
- What are their names?
- Where are they going?
- What do they do once they’ve melted?
This adds an engaging, open-ended storytelling element to the activity, enhancing language development while keeping the Halloween fun going strong.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any tray will work—get creative with different shapes! I love the idea of also adding in some “giant ghosts” with various tupperware containers.
Yes! Just rinse them off after the activity and they’re as good as new.
You can add mini Halloween toys, plastic spiders, or other fun trinkets!
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