Ice rescue

The night before: drop a handful of small plastic toys into a bowl of water. Freeze overnight. The day of: turn the ice block out onto a tray.

Press your warm hand on the ice. Watch a tiny bit melt around your palm. "How do we get the dinosaur out?"

Banging with a spoon. Pouring warm water from a dropper. Patience and impatience trading off. The 20-minute solo-play threshold gets crossed regularly here.

Bury the toys in layers (freeze, add water, freeze again) for harder rescues. Use salt — kids 4+ love watching it eat through the ice. Color the water with food coloring.