Help kids learn about the impact ice and salt have on temperature with this fun, easy science for kids. This ice and salt experiment is so simple to set up and perfect for helping kids to explore and think critically about the world around them. Use this experiment with ice salt and water temperature with preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders.
Ice and salt experiment
Teach kids about the effect ice and salt have on temperature with this fun, hands-on Ice and salt experiment. This ice and salt experiment for preschoolers, kindergartners, grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 students is super simple, but a great demonstration to teach kids. When we want to make our drinks colder or to keep them cool, we add ice. No one likes warm lemonade or soda, right? Ice makes drinks colder because the temperature of the ice is lower than the temperature of most drinks. Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, so we know the temperature of the ice. If a drink is at room temperature, we know it is probably around 70 degrees F. If a drink has been in the refrigerator, we know that refrigerators are kept around 40 degrees F, so the drink will be around that temperature as well.
If ice is 32 degrees and is placed in a room temperature drink, what temperature does the drink become? Will adding more ice make a difference? Is there a way to make the drink even colder without adding more ice? Let’s experiment.
Salt and ice experiment
Start by gathering the supplies you will need. The materials you need for this science experiment are super simple, you should have them laying around your house:
- 2 drinking glasses
- water
- ice cubes
- thermometer
- salt
Ice and salt experiment for preschoolers
Let’s first see how the amount of ice affects the temperature of a drink. To make this experiment simple and easy to replicate, we will use water for our drink.
Pour 1/2 cup water into each of the drinking glasses. Record the temperature of each glass of water.
Add one or two ice cubes to one of the glasses and place enough ice cubes into the other glass that it almost fills the water with ice. Give each glass is stir and let them set for 5 minutes.
Ice salt experiment
After 5 minutes, record the temperature of each glass. Keep recording the temperature every 2 minutes. At what point do you see the temperature remaining steady? When the temperature remains the same for 2 measurement times, move on to part two of the experiment. If not, keep recording every 2 minutes until the temperature stabilizes, then move on.
Experiment with ice and salt
In this part of the experiment, you are going to use the glass with the most ice added. (The water in this glass is probably going to have the lower temperature, as well.) Add a tablespoon of salt to the water and stir. Next, record the temperature of the water. Did the addition of the salt have an immediate effect on the water temperature?
Check the temperature of the water every 2 minutes until it stays steady.
Water Temperature Experiment
In part one of our experiment, we wanted to see if the amount of water added to a drink (water) determined how cold the drink could get. The final recorded temperatures of the two glasses should have shown that the temperature in the glass with more ice was lower than the glass with just one or two ice cubes. In fact, the ice in the glass with less added ice was probably melted by the end of the recording time.
When the ice melted, there was nothing left to make the water colder. In the glass with more ice, the presence of ice continued to drop the temperature.
ice and salt science experiment
In part two of our experiment, we wanted to see if we could make the drink get even colder without adding more ice. When the salt was added to the cold water, the temperature dropped even more. Why?
We know that fresh water (water without salt) freezes at 32 degrees F. When salt is added to water, the freezing point of water is lowered. This causes the ice to melt. Melting requires heat, which it takes from the ice and the water around it. This lowers the temperature of the water even below the freezing point of fresh water.
Fun Science Experiments
Here are some of our most popular lessons and activities or see all our science for kids conveniently sorted!
- 30 Simple Machines for Kids Experiments
- Launch this experiment and record your findings with this Coke and mentos experiment worksheet
- Lots of FUN Solar System Project Ideas for kids
- Printable Solar System Worksheets (free) or planet worksheets for kindergarten
- Grab these free printable solar system coloring pages
- Simple pop rocks experiment for kids (with free worksheet)
- Stunning chromatography butterflies
- Life-size Human Body Project with free printable body parts
- Colorful Capillary action science experiment (also known as walking water)
- 100 Amazing Food science experiments – arranged by type of science
- Free Printable Human Body for Kids Playdough Mats
- Leak proof bag fun science experiments
- Older students can dive deeper with these free skeletal system worksheet pages
- Amazing Why do leaves change color experiment
- Learn about seasons with this cool free 4 seasons printables
- Animals and their Babies matching puzzles
- Take a closer look at animals with this free printable animal report for for kids
Â

Science Exeriments for Kids
Looking for lots more fun, science experiments for kids? You’ve GOT to try some of these outrageously fun science experiments for kids! We have so many fun, creative and easy science experiments for elementary age children:
- How to Make a Lava Lamp – super easy and SO cool!
- Weather Unit for prek-3rd graders filled with experiments, activities and weather worksheets
- Make it rain and write your observations in these cloud in a jar experiment worksheet
- Learn about our moon with these activities and moon worksheets for 1st grade
- Free Water Cycle Worksheets for kids
- Discover a world of geology with these rock worksheets for kids
- Free printable states of matter activity with clip cards
- Discover what lies below the surface with these free Layers of Earth Worksheets
- Make playdough earth layers with this super cool geology experiment for kids
- LOTS of year-round Science Experiments for Kids
- Kids will love this outrageously fun pipe clean constellations activity
- This look inside a volcano experiment for kids takes learning to a whole new level
- Chromatography Butterflies project for kids
- Learn about the kingdom Animalia with over 20 Zoo Scavenger Hunt free printables
- Harness the power of fruit with this simple Lemon Clock for kids
- Learn about famous female inventors with this read, color, and learn booklet for kids
- Easy Bernoulli’s principle experiment at home
- Amaze kids with this simple burning candle experiment with free worksheets
Easy Science Experiments
Explore our science projects based on all science for kids, types of free science lessons, or seasonal science experiments.
- Gross and so cool Digestive System Project for kids of all ages
- Amazing Rainbow in a Jar Experiment for Kids
- Epic Baking Soda and Vinegar Rocket Experiment
- Cool Milk and Vinegar Expeirment making plastic!
- Learn about your amazing brain with this activity and brain worksheets
- How do hands work project for kids
- Super cool and easy-to-make, working lego balloon car
- Plants for kids lesson
- Bouncy Naked Egg with FREE egg in vinegar experiment worksheet
- Explore magnets with these EPIC magnet experiments for kids
- Popsicle Stick Catapult for kids – simple STEM project
- Simple light bulb experiment (it actually lights up!)
- Easy-to-make balloon hoovercraft
- Bouncy Eggs and eggs in vinegar experiment worksheet
- Learn about density for kids with these simple balloon solid, liquid, gas hands-on activities
- Create your own super simple bot
- Beautiful, color changing capillary action experiment with flowers
- WOW your kids with how to make a Newton’s cradle project
- Heat-sensitive, Color Changing Slime is SO COOL!
Leave a Reply