As the weather gets colder, why not have some frozen fun indoors and make your own instant ice experiment in the warmth of your own home!

You will need:

• Bottles of water (how many is up to you)
• A freezer
• Food dye
• Ice
• A bowl

Method:

• Add 2 drops of food dye (colour of your choice) to your bottle(s) of water and then make sure the lid is closed tight.
• Put the bottle(s) of water in the freezer (lying on their side works best) and leave them for 2hrs30min – 2hrs45min. If they have frozen completely it will not work. If they have not begun to freeze then leave them in the freezer for 5-10 mins more until they are beginning to freeze. You should see some evidence of crystals in the water.
• Prepare the bowl with some ice cubes in it.
• VERY CAREFULLY remove the water bottle(s) from the freezer and carefully open the lid and immediately pour over the ice. You should see ice towers start to form as soon as the water touches the ice! 

Note- The water is VERY sensitive when you take it out of the freezer, if you hit the bottle then this may cause the water to freeze in the bottle before you have even opened it! (Which also looks cool, so you may want to try this with your kids as well!)

The Science Bit:

Whilst the water in your freezer is well below freezing when you take it out, it hasn’t frozen solid because there has been no impurities or stimulation to get it started. This is why knocking the bottle can initiate the freezing process! As you pour the water onto the ice it instantly freezes, building the fantastic ice towers! Thanks to Teach Preschool for this activity!