Ice Play Exploration in the Inquiry Garden
28 Sep 2025
Last Thursday, our Early Years learners engaged in an exciting and hands-on activity in the MLS Inquiry Garden: ice exploration. With toy hammers and a variety of tools, students worked on large ice blocks that had hidden surprises inside, from glitter to small toy animals. Alongside this, they also experimented with painting on ice, observing how colors spread, mixed, and changed as the ice began to melt.
This joyful experience was fun and deeply educational. Through play, children were introduced to scientific concepts such as cause and effect, states of matter, and the process of melting. By striking, painting, and experimenting, they could see firsthand how ice transforms when touched by warmth, movement, or color.
Why sensory play matters?
Activities like ice exploration are a key part of early childhood development. Sensory play stimulates multiple senses at once, helping children to:
- Strengthen fine motor skills through grasping and using tools.
- Develop problem-solving skills as they figure out how to free the objects inside the ice.
- Encourage creativity and imagination by exploring different tools, colors, and textures.
- Build emotional regulation, as sensory play can be both calming and highly engaging.
At MLS, we believe that sensory-rich experiences are essential to nurturing curiosity, resilience, and a love for discovery. Last Thursday’s ice exploration was a wonderful example of how learning, science, and play come together in our Inquiry Garden. 🌟
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