Making spectacular ice suncatchers is so easy, fast, and fun, with endless possibilities! You can make them for decorations or fill them with birdseed for our feathered friends. This is fun and creative for kids, very inexpensive, and encourages kids to get outside!
Supplies
- Watertight freezable containers: Tupperware, baking pans, tinfoil tins, yogurt tubs. Use whatever you can find that is slightly flexible for wiggling the ice blocks out after they freeze.
- String, twine, or yarn for hanging
- Natural materials (collected from nature or whatever you would like)
- TIP: We only use natural biodegradable materials, as when the ice melts, we don’t want plastic or metal littering outside
- Water and freezing temperatures (or freezer space if not cold enough)
- Food dye (optional)
- Birdseed (optional)
- Drill & bit (optional)
Instructions For Ice SunCatCherS
Collect your artistic items (pinecones, leaves, sticks, berries, pebbles, whatever your eye spies!)
Arrange the items however you would like in the container (s)
Add food coloring to the water if desired. Pour water gently into the container (your decorations will float and re-assemble a little)
Allow everything to freeze hard (we left it overnight outside).
TIP: We decided to cover the container with the birdseed to discourage creatures from eating it. If you are concerned, you could always freeze it in an indoor freezer.
String Hanging Method: gently pop the ice out and wrap the string around the ice (like the birdseed catcher below)
Or wrap it around (like the square catcher to the left). Tie the knot at the top and leave extra string for hanging.
TIP: It was extremely cold when we did this. The ice was very frozen in the container and wasn’t budging.
We poured a little water in and brought it indoors for a few minutes. The ice melted just enough, so the block slid out without breaking.
Put the ice block back in the same container with the string tied to it.
Pour cold water in again, and wait for it to freeze again.
Be sure to leave the extra string out to be used for hanging out of the container.
OPTION 2: Drill Hanging Method: PARENTAL SUPERVISION NEEDED. Drill a small hole through the ice, at least an inch from the edge (I used a 3/16″ bit).
The farther you drill towards the center, the longer the ice will stay hanging. As the catcher melts, eventually, the string will pop out.
Hang your ice suncatchers up!
They sure are beautiful when the sun catches them!
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The Lil Sis