This Fishing for Ice science project shows kids how chemistry works in everyday life. You’ll lower the freezing point of water and catch some ice! Get your kids interested in STEM → science, technology, engineering, and math with nothing more than ice, water, salt, and string.

Science Lab Supplies
- Free printable lab notebook with full instructions (available in the free printable library)
The lab book contains three easy science experiments for kids and contains areas to record your notes and observations. You can print it on card stock or plain paper and assemble it with ring clips or staples. It would be perfect for a science party.
Fishing for Ice Science Experiment
Use a piece of string to catch ice in this cool chemistry experiment!
Experiment Supplies
- Water
- A clear jar or glass
- Table salt, 1-2 tsp
- Food coloring (optional)
- String
Instructions
- Stir a drop or two of food coloring into the salt to create colored salt crystals. (You may skip this step, but it makes the string easier to see.)
- Fill the jar about three-quarters full with water.
- Add a few ice cubes.
- Sprinkle the ice cube with a few pinches of salt.
- Lay the string across the ice cube and salt.
- Wait for 1-2 minutes.
- Carefully lift the string from the water and see how many ice cubes are attached.
Experiment Follow-Up
Complete the lab notes section of the free printable lab notebook with your kids. Have them record their predictions and observations. Try the experiment with more ice then less ice. Record the results.
Experiment Explanation
When water changes from one form to another, the process is called a change of state. In this experiment, water changes from solid ice to liquid water and back to solid ice by melting and freezing.
When the salt (sodium chloride) hits the ice cube, the ice melts a bit. The water
Then, it refreezes around the string, freezing it to the ice cube.
Sodium chloride lowers the freezing point of ice, melting a thin layer. After the reaction is complete, the freezing point of the water rises, freezing the thin layer of water on top of the ice cube into ice.
The string is frozen into this thin layer of water as it changes back to ice.
Applications to Daily Life
Oceans are made of salt water, so they never freeze! Since salt lowers water’s
ability to solidify, the oceans are still filled with salty water (not ice), even
when the temperature is zero degrees!
In cold, snowy climates, people salt icy roads and sidewalks. The salt melts the ice and helps to keep people from slipping as they walk or drive.
More Cool Science Experiments for Kids
Check out these Cool Science Experiments for Kids to download the free lab notebook then try the fun Penny Shine & Glitter Tornado projects.
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chantelle
I’m not seeing the lab notebook on your printable page… am I missing something!?
Bren
It’s under “CRAFT PRINTABLES” in the third row.
Ivs
I Cant find the lab notebook printable of ice fishing kids experiment. please send me the link to download thanks !
Bren
It’s on the free printables pages!