Ask Ollie
Frozen Toy Rescue
Here's one to try together!
The toys are trapped in ice. Only salt and warm water can save them.
Reviewed by our team.
Safety first
- Small toys are a choking size for under 3s. Keep them away from little brothers and sisters.
- Use warm water, never hot.
- Salt stings eyes and cuts. No licking the ice.
- Stay close while they pour.
What you need
- Small waterproof toys (not for under 3s)
- Muffin tin
- Water, to freeze, and warm water to pour
- Salt
- Cups, 2 or 3, for pouring
- Tray
- Towel, 1
- Small bowl, 1, for the salt
How to do it
Grown-up prep: The night before, freeze a small toy in each muffin cup with water. To pop them out, run warm water over the back of the tin for a few seconds.
- Rescue team, roll up your sleeves!
- Pick a frozen toy to rescue.
- Look closely. Which toy is stuck in there? Ask: Can you guess what toy it is?
- Sprinkle some salt on the ice and watch for cracks.
- Now pour a little warm water over the ice. Ask: Which works faster, salt or warm water?
- Pick a new block. Try salt first, then warm water.
- When the ice gets thin, wiggle the toy out.
- Give each rescued toy a cheer!
- Count the toys you saved, and tell someone how you rescued them. Ask: Which rescue was the hardest?
Play it again
- Rescue race: two rescuers each get a block. Who frees their toy first?
- Tool test: try a spoon, a squeeze of water from a bottle or just warm hands. Which works best?
- Colored ice: freeze the toys with a drop of food coloring next time for rainbow rescues.
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