Frozen Hand Toy Rescue

What you need

• Water, enough to fill the glove, plus a squeeze bottle of warm water
• Small waterproof toys (not for under 3s), 3 or 4
• Salt, 1/4 cup
• Clear cups, 2
• Plate or tray, 1 tray
• Plastic glove, 1, not latex
• Jug, 1
• Hair tie, 1, or a twist tie
• Towel, 1
• Spoon, 1
• Squeeze bottle, 1
• Kid scissors, 1 pair, for a grown-up (optional)

How to do it

Grown-up prep: Freeze the glove the night before. It needs about 8 to 12 hours in the freezer.

1. The day before: put a plastic glove in a tall cup so it stands open.
2. Push a small toy into each of three or four fingers of the glove.
   Ask: Which finger should each toy hide in?
3. Fill the glove with water, then a grown-up ties it closed. Ask for help if you need it
4. Lay it flat on a tray and freeze it overnight.
5. Look at your frozen glove. Can you spot the trapped toys?
6. Peel the glove off to show the icy hand.
7. Set your ice hand on the tray.
   Ask: Which toy do you think will come out first?
8. Try chipping the ice with a spoon.
9. Sprinkle salt on one finger of ice.
10. Squeeze warm water over a different finger.
    Ask: What happens to the ice where the water lands?
11. Look at all three fingers. Which one is melting the fastest?
12. Now free every toy! Which way will you use?
13. You did it! Make another ice hand, or ask a friend which way is fastest.
    Ask: What could you freeze inside the next ice hand?

Play it again

• Color rescue: add a few drops of food coloring to the water before freezing and watch the colors drip.
• Race day: make two ice hands and race a friend to free the toys first.
• Mystery hand: a grown-up hides a surprise toy so you have to guess what it is before freeing it.