Hey there! So, the weather outside is either frightful and actually freezing, or maybe you’re just staring at your kids bouncing off the walls and thinking, I need to freeze their energy for a bit. Either way, you’ve landed in the right place.
If your house is anything like mine, “Frozen” isn’t just a movie; it’s a lifestyle. We’ve got the dresses, the soundtrack permanently etched into our brains, and a serious case of “Let It Go” sung at top volume in the grocery store. But instead of just watching Elsa build her ice palace for the millionth time, why not bring a little of that magic into real life?
I’ve rounded up 12 frozen-themed activities that are perfect for beating boredom, whether it’s the middle of summer or a snowed-in winter day. These are all tested and approved by my own little冰雪奇缘 (that’s “Frozen” in Chinese, FYI 😉) fans. Grab your coffee, put your feet up for a sec, and let’s get into some frosty fun.
1. DIY “Elsa’s Magic” Frozen Paint
Ever wondered why kids love painting with frozen stuff so much? It’s like their creativity gets a chilly superpower. This activity is ridiculously easy and feels like magic.
How to Make It
You just need some shaving cream (the cheap stuff works great), white glue, and blue food coloring or washable paint. Mix about equal parts shaving cream and glue in a bowl. Seriously, there’s no exact science here.
- Add a few drops of blue coloring and swirl it—don’t mix it completely. That swirled look gives it that icy, marbled effect.
- Let your kids paint on paper, cardboard, or an old box. The texture is puffy and cold, just like snow!
Pro tip: This dries puffy, so it’s perfect for making 3D snowmen or snowflakes on paper. My kids went nuts painting “ice castles” on an old Amazon box. IMO, the mess is totally worth it to see their faces light up. : )
2. Frozen Oobleck Sensory Play
If you haven’t introduced your kids to oobleck yet, you’re missing out on the weirdest, coolest substance on earth. For the uninitiated, it’s a non-Newtonian fluid—it acts like a liquid until you apply pressure, then it acts like a solid. Mind. Blown.
The Frozen Twist
Make your standard oobleck (2 parts cornstarch to 1 part water) and add a ton of blue liquid watercolor or food coloring. Pour it into a shallow container or ice cube tray and freeze it solid.
Once it’s frozen, pop the blocks out and let the kids go to town. As it melts, it goes back into its gooey, solid/liquid state. It’s a great lesson in science, and honestly, it’s just hilarious to watch them try to figure out why the “ice” is melting into goo.
3. Ice Palace Building Challenge
Okay, this one requires a little prep work from you, but it buys you at least an hour of quiet concentration. Promise.
Gather Your “Building Supplies”
You’ll need to freeze ice in a variety of containers the night before. Think:
- Small Tupperware containers for bricks.
- Silicone muffin tins for round ice “gems.”
- Ice cube trays for small details.
- A bundt pan for a cool circular base.
Pop them all out onto a tray, hand the kids a spray bottle filled with cold water, and challenge them to build a palace for Elsa and Anna. The water acts as the mortar, freezing the blocks together.
The best part? If it falls, it’s just an “earthquake” and they get to rebuild. My son decided his palace needed a moat, which just turned into a giant puddle on the tray, but hey, creativity!
4. Scented Frozen “Magical” Hearts
This one appeals to all the senses. We use heart-shaped silicone molds (because Elsa is all about love, right?), but stars or circles work just fine.
The Recipe
Fill the molds with water and add a drop of peppermint extract or lavender oil. Toss in some glitter and a few small plastic figurines or beads. Freeze them solid.
Once frozen, pop them out and let the kids play with them in the sensory table or a big plastic bin. As the hearts melt, they release the scent and the hidden treasures. The smell of peppermint in summer is actually super refreshing, and it keeps the kids engaged for ages trying to dig out the tiny toys.
5. Fizzy Frozen Fossils (Science Experiment)
We do a lot of baking soda experiments in this house, but freezing them takes the fun up a notch. It slows down the reaction and turns it into a rescue mission.
Step-by-Step:
- Take small plastic toys (Olaf figurines are perfect, but coins or plastic animals work too).
- Mix baking soda with a little water until it forms a thick, moldable paste.
- Pack the paste around each toy, forming a “fossil” or “ice rock.”
- Place them on a tray and freeze for a few hours until solid.
- Give the kids a spray bottle or droppers filled with white vinegar.
When they spray the vinegar onto the frozen baking soda, it fizzes and bubbles wildly, slowly melting away the rock to free the toy inside. It’s like a fizzy excavation! I love this because it combines sensory play with a little bit of patience and fine motor skills.
6. “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” (Indoor Version)
No snow outside? No problem. We build Olaf indoors.
The “Snow” Recipe
You need:
- 3 cups of baking soda
- 1/2 cup of white conditioner (the cheap kind)
Mix it together with your hands until it feels like snow. It will be cool to the touch and moldable! Add more baking soda if it’s too sticky, or more conditioner if it’s too crumbly.
Build your snowman on a tray. Use small twigs for arms, raisins or buttons for eyes, and a small piece of felt for a mouth. The best thing about this snow? It won’t melt, and clean-up is a breeze. Just sweep it up or vacuum it. It smells amazing, too.
7. Frozen Eruptions (Volcano Style)
We all love a good baking soda and vinegar volcano, but let’s give it an icy update.
Make It Frozen
Freeze a mixture of water and baking soda in a plastic cup or a bowl. You can add blue food coloring to make it look extra icy. Once it’s frozen solid, pop it out onto a tray.
Now, pour vinegar over it. The reaction happens slower than with liquid baking soda, creating a fizzing, crackling, melting effect that is mesmerizing. It looks like the ice is magically turning into foam. This is a huge hit every single time at my house.
8. Glittery Frozen Slime
Look, I know slime can be a contentious topic in the parenting world. It’s sticky, it gets everywhere, and it somehow ends up in the dog’s fur. But hear me out—if you make Frozen-themed slime, the joy it brings might just outweigh the mess. Might.
The Recipe
Use your favorite clear glue slime recipe (glue + baking soda + contact lens solution). The key here is to use clear glue instead of white. Add a ton of blue glitter and silver star confetti. The result is a clear, sparkly, stretchy slime that looks like a piece of a frozen river.
Storage: Keep it in a sealed container in the fridge to keep that “cold” vibe going. When they pull it out, it’s chilly and sparkly. It’s a sensory win.
9. Frozen Sensory Bottles
These are my secret weapon for car trips or when I just need 10 minutes of peace. They’re easy to make and fascinating for little ones to watch.
How to Make a Calming Bottle
- Fill a clear plastic bottle about 3/4 full with light corn syrup or clear glue mixed with water.
- Add blue and silver glitter, tiny beads, and little Frozen figurines if you have them.
- Seal the lid with super glue (so they can’t open it!).
- Let the kids shake it up and watch the “blizzard” settle.
For an extra “frozen” touch, you can pop it in the fridge for a bit before handing it over. The cold liquid swirls even slower. It’s surprisingly calming—even for me.
10. Ice Skating for Dolls
Do your kids have those little plastic Frozen dolls? Time to let them ice skate for real.
Setting Up the Rink
Grab a baking sheet with a lip (a jelly roll pan works great). Fill the bottom with a thin layer of water and freeze it. Once solid, pop the ice disk out of the pan. You might need to run warm water on the bottom of the pan briefly to loosen it.
Place the ice disk on a towel (to catch the melt) and let the kids make their dolls “ice skate” on the surface. They can even draw “patterns” in the frost with their fingers. It’s simple, but watching them glide their Elsa doll around a real ice rink is pretty magical.
11. Frozen-Inspired Bath Bombs
If your kids love bath time as much as mine hate it, these are a game-changer. They turn a boring bath into a sparkly, fizzy, fragrant adventure.
DIY Version
You can buy a basic bath bomb base online or make your own with baking soda, citric acid, and Epsom salts. The key is to color them blue and white, and add a tiny plastic figurine inside (a small Olaf or Anna from a cake topper set works perfectly).
Drop one in the bath and watch it fizz away, releasing the toy at the end. Warning: The glitter. You will find glitter in places you didn’t know existed for weeks. But for a special treat, it’s totally worth it.
12. Snow Gak (Putty)
Gak is like slime’s firmer, more putty-like cousin. It holds its shape better but still oozes slowly. It’s perfect for little hands that want to mold “ice” sculptures.
The Snow Gak Recipe
- 1 bottle of white or blue school glue (6 oz)
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1/2 cup of liquid starch (like Sta-Flo)
Mix the glue and water. Add the starch slowly and stir until it pulls away from the sides. Knead it until it’s smooth. It will be cold, smooth, and stretchy. Add silver glitter to make it look like freshly fallen snow.
My kids love making little snowballs with this that don’t melt. They can have a snowball fight in the living room, and I don’t have to worry about wiping up puddles. Win-win.
So, there you have it—12 ways to bring a little bit of Arendelle into your living room without needing magical powers (or a frozen fjord). Whether you’re braving the actual cold or just trying to cool down in the summer, these activities are sure to spark some creativity and burn off some of that endless kid-energy.
My final piece of advice? Embrace the mess. Some of these activities are a bit chaotic, but the laughter and memories are totally worth the extra cleanup. Now, go forth and get frosty! ❄️
Got a favorite frozen activity I missed? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a comment below and share the magic.
