It’s getting hot outside, the damn virus rates are going down in some areas but up in others, the kids are bored, pools and bikes are sold out, and life is feeling like it will never be normal again. It’s time to bury your kid’s toys in ice.
I got this idea from parent Megan Rothgerber on Instagram, who froze what appears to be about a dozen plastic animals (plus at least one Pikachu) in a large block of ice. As far as I can tell, she then put said block of ice on a 9 x 12 plastic casserole dish lid, handed her son a hammer and said something like, “Go ahead and excavate, young archaeologist.” And he did:
Choose a cake pan, mixing bowl, plastic storage container or other freezer-compatible contraption—it just needs to be deep enough to submerge the toys completely. I suggest lining the container with plastic wrap or wax paper before filling with water and toys to freeze; that should help with ice removal when it’s time to start smashing.
In addition to plastic animals and Pokémon, here are some other things you could bury:
Little plastic dinosaursHot WheelsLEGO MinifigsLEGO Duplo bricksLittle erasers shaped like fun thingsBasically any small toy you might get from those old-school quarter machines at the grocery storeYou don’t want to throw in anything too nice, too valuable or too beloved. Any toys you use here may end up damaged, so choose the little junkers in the bottom of the toy box that the kids have long since forgotten about. (Maybe this is what some of those cheap-o birthday party favors are actually for?)
Final caveat: Obviously, whenever you hand over a hammer, a screwdriver or any other tool to your young child, you should take some safety precautions. You might have them stand and smash up the ice at tabletop height, rather than the ground or floor so they have better control over the tools. And, of course, practice some good, close supervision, lest they get a little too into this and start smashing up your furniture, too.
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