We had so much fun with our Rainbow Ice Tower that I wanted to think of another way to play with ice. It's no secret that we love playing with things that glow - so my mind immediately went there. My first attempt at glowing ice wasn't great (our Safe Glow Water does not glow brightly when frozen). But then I hit gold.
The coolest thing about these glowing ice eggs is that you literally can't tell what is inside until you melt enough of the egg that a part is revealed. This added a whole other dimension of mystery to something that is already so much fun!
S was in heaven.
Here she's freeing her sting ray!
How cool do these look when they are half "hatched"? They looked like tiny glowing moons with interesting patterns and craters.
A half-freed orca whale.
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These were seriously so fun. I know this is something we'll be repeating often this summer! To make your own, you'll need:
Balloons
Plastic "guys" or other loot
Diet Tonic Water with Quinine
(you can find this for around $1 or less at a grocery store)
(you can find this for around $1 or less at a grocery store)
A large container
First you will need to (patiently) shove the items into an empty balloon. Depending on the dimensions, this may take a fair bit of patience and finagling (butterflies are tricky, but I like a challenge). Fill two squeezy bottles with diet tonic water. Why diet? We have played with tonic water before and the regular kind is pretty sticky and stinky. The diet was WAYYYY better. So we recommend that though regular tonic water will also glow under a blacklight (so long as it contains quinine). Once your loot is inside the empty balloon, blow it up quite a bit with air (more than you need to fill with liquid). Then insert the spout of the squeezy bottle into the balloon. Use your fingers to hold the balloon closed around the spout. You'll lose a little air, but you shouldn't lose too much. Squeeze the diet tonic water into the balloon. We did between 1 and 2 squeezy bottles of diet tonic water into each balloon. Once the balloon was full of diet tonic water, I carefully let out any extra air. Once you only have tonic water left in the balloon, tie off the balloon and place it in a freezer for several hours (6 or more).
The next day, use scissors to cut the bottoms off of the balloons and you can either cut or peel the balloon off. Take your ice eggs into a dark room and turn on a blacklight to see them glow!!! Use tap water to excavate your loot. :)
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All activities here are activities I feel are safe for my own children. As your child's parents/guardians, you will need to decide what you feel is safe for your family. I always encourage contacting your child's pediatrician for guidance if you are not sure about the safety/age appropriateness of an activity. All activities on this blog are intended to be performed with adult supervision. Appropriate and reasonable caution should be used when activities call for the use of materials that could potentially be harmful, such as scissors, or items that could present a choking risk (small items), or a drowning risk (water activities), and with introducing a new food/ingredient to a child (allergies). Observe caution and safety at all times. The author and blog disclaim liability for any damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from engaging in any of these activities on this blog.
I'm thinking Canadian diet tonic water w quinine is different than American -- ours is an utter fail! LOL. I will have to pick up the good American stuff on our next stateside shopping trip :)
ReplyDeleteOh noo! It shouldn't be so long as it has quinine! Are you sure your blacklight is strong? Some of them are SUPER weak and don't even fluoresce white clothing well....
DeleteHi, I was wondering do these glow in the dark too? or just with a black light? Would be interesting to burry them in the snow and have the girls find them at night.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, that would be the COOLEST! No they only glow with a blacklight BUT you can get blacklight flashlights.... :)
DeleteDo you think the B-50 complex you use for the play dough would work for this as well? (Instead of the diet tonic water??) Trying to find to find multiple uses for those vitamins. :)
ReplyDeleteNope - in the first paragraph I talk about how it didn't glow very brightly. In our first book (150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids) there are dozens of uses for the vitamin if that helps! Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't and I tried it in just about everything in the book. :)
DeleteOh, thanks! I didn't click that link to put 2 and 2 together. Your book is on my wish-list! Thanks for putting so much time into experimenting and sharing your findings.
DeleteYay!!! Thank you! :) :) :)
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