Toddler Time - Hot and Cold

 

Here is a toddler activity that will not only entertain your little one but also teach him or her about opposites and temperature.  

Put a mat on the floor or bring the activity outdoors.  I chose to put red and blue fun foam under the clear containers to add more contrast to the two trays and to reinforce the concepts of red means hot and blue means cold.  On the mat, place one container filled with warm water (obviously not too hot) and one container filled with ice cubes.  Toss a spoon with a short handle into the ice container ( I used a slotted spoon to prevent any major splashing on the water).  That is it, the activity is all set.  Remind your little one not to put the ice in his/her mouth. 

The child may choose to transfer the ice, using the spoon or their hands, into the warm water where they will watch it dissolve.  Perhaps they will just enjoy touching the cold ice followed by the warm water.  By the end, I am sure that most toddlers will be getting a little wet themselves.