Summer Sensory Bin

Last summer we enjoyed playing in our colored ice summer sensory bin so much during hot days since then the little boys love it when we make our fun summer sensory bin to play in and stay cool. We also love excavating toys from ice as well to stay cool. Both ideas are super easy, practically cost nothing and keep the kids busy for quite a while!

To make your own colored ice cubes, all you do is add food coloring to water and them pour different colors into all the ice cube trays we have. Because of all the fun Montessori trays we do during our school year I have many different shaped ice cube trays I have picked up at the Dollar Store, Thrift Stores, and on clearance at the end of the season so we have lots of fun shaped ice cubes to play with.

We also filled a couple small bowls with water and some fun toys in them for them to “excavate” which was so much fun for the kids on a 100′ day!! I didn’t get our our hammer and tee’s or even the salt to melt the ice blocks, instead the kids used their hands to warm the ice which they found just as fun.

Here is the table set up before the kids started playing.

Here is one of our ice excavating blocks with some goodies frozen inside.

The colored ice cubes.

Ethan very carefully looked for all the golden snowflakes which he said were suns, and then lined them all up along the edge of the table.

I love how bright and colorful the colored ice turns out!

Once one of the big ice excavating cubes broke the boys were all very excited, and also worked hard to get the items on the inside out.

What a fun and great way to spend a HOT summer day, super easy, and cheap to make!

What is your favorite way to stay cool during a heat wave? Leave me a comment letting me know!

Looking for other ways to stay cool in the heat? Stop over and read my post on 10 easy and inexpensive ideas for staying cool in the Heat!!

I am linking up with these great linky parties!!