Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t have fun in the sun with this cool project that celebrates the freezing, cold weather.
Materials
Ice cube tray, food coloring, empty aluminum pie tin, paper cup and ribbon.
Directions
1. Fill a pie tin with 1-2 inches of water. Place a paper cup in the water-filled tin, which will help create a hole. Be sure to add weight to the cup with pebbles or popcorn kernels to ensure the cup doesn’t float away. Set outside to freeze.
2. Make colored ice cubes by filling an ice cube tray with water and few drops of food coloring. Place outside to freeze. Don’t have an ice cube tray? Improvise with a muffin tin or brownie pan.
3. When ice cubes are ready, pop them out and place on top of the ice in the tin. Add cold water and leave outside to freeze.
4. Once everything is frozen, pop the sun-catcher out of the tin, thread a piece of ribbon through the hole and tie it to a tree.
Enjoy watching the sun glisten through the colored ice; knowing your project will last only as long as the cold!
Want to try something different? Fill your sun-catchers with pebbles, cranberries or other natural and animal friendly materials. Simply follow the directions above, substituting the ice cubes with the filling of your choice.
About the author: Beth hit it big in second grade when she wrote an essay entitled, “If I was president Bubble Gum would be Free and Taxes would go Up.” Clearly not destined for a life in politics, Beth focused her talents on educations and writing. Beth is a former Kindergarten teacher and has developed numerous interactive books and games for Piggy Toes Press, Leapfrog Toys and Disney. Currently, she writes about family fun activities, crafts and games at www.mommyonashoestring.com. She also appears regularly on “You and Me this Morning” on WCIU TV and is an iVoice correspondent for www.iVillage.com. Beth lives in Glenview with her 5-year-old son and a goldfish named Denmark.
