Melt or freeze?: what children learn
When things get warm, ice, chocolate and butter melt. When water gets very cold, it freezes into ice.
Each card describes something getting warmer or colder. Children decide whether it melts or freezes.
This topic links to an early learning goal in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework for England (The Natural World). Children at the expected level of development will: “Understand some important processes and changes in the natural world around them, including the seasons and changing states of matter”. Reception children are usually aged 4–5.
How to play
Sort the cards into the right groups. Tap a card, then its group. You can also drag a card, or press the number on its group. Each game has 3 rounds with no timer. Every card is checked as soon as you place it: a card in the wrong group comes back with a hint, and you get a point for each card you place right first time. For a quicker go, choose Quick quiz: 8 multiple-choice questions in 240 seconds (choose Relaxed for more time).
Step by step
- Play together. Sit with your child and read the words on screen aloud. Let them do the tapping and dragging.
- Warm or cold?. Ask whether it is getting warmer or colder.
- Melt or freeze?. Warm makes things melt; very cold makes water freeze.
- Try it at home. Watch ice melt or water freeze to check.
Worked examples
Example 1: 🧊 An ice cube in the sun
Working: The sun warms it up.
Answer: Melts
Example 2: 💧 Water in the freezer
Working: The freezer is very cold.
Answer: Freezes
Example 3: 🍫 Chocolate in a warm hand
Working: A warm hand softens it.
Answer: Melts
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Thinking freezing means getting cold Freezing is when a liquid turns solid.
- Thinking only ice melts Chocolate, butter and wax melt too.
- Mixing up the words Melt: solid to runny. Freeze: runny to solid.
Activities to try at home
- Freeze juice into lollies, then watch one melt.
- Put ice cubes in sun and shade and see which melts first.
- Watch butter melt in a pan (an adult only).
Ideas for the classroom
- Hide toys in ice and melt them free.
- Compare ice melting in different places.
- Talk about frost and puddles on cold mornings.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a colour-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
Is this safe to try?
Yes with ice and lollies. Hot pans and candles are for adults only.
Why do these changes matter?
Melting and freezing are early examples of changing states of matter.
Is there a timer?
Not in the main game: children sort at their own pace. The separate Quick quiz is optional and has a long, gentle timer; skip it with younger or less confident children.