Ice Ice Baby: Production Pack
Using sound and music from our innovative show for babies, our Young Company Director, Lisa, has created a set of fun and interactive activities for your little ones inspired by the world of Ice Ice Baby.
For Christmas 2017, Bristol Old Vic presented it’s very first baby show for 0-3 years in The Lantern at Colston Hall. Created alongside Made in Bristol artists, Ice Ice Baby explored the sights, sounds and textures of winter in a playful sensory exploration - a 30-minute theatre show suitable for babes in arms and toddlers, accompanied by carers.
Production key image: Ice Ice Baby, 2017.
"When we made this show in 2017 my daughter was two years old and was quite often in rehearsals, this allowed us to test the songs, images and interactions with her. A lot of what Nora responded to most to made it into the final piece of work. I still use the songs with my (now) four-year-old and one year old (Sullivan) as ways to play and sing and make together.
"The premise of the show is simple, it is the changing of the weather and moving forwards of time. We follow a brother and sister at the end of autumn through to the first snow fall and finally to the snow melting and turning to water.
"The following activity ideas are inspired by our rehearsal process, the props we made and material that was performed in the final piece. Each activity has an accompanying track from the show. The activities can be done alongside the tracks, or as companion exercises after listening to the whole soundtrack. You can of course just listen to the tracks and enjoy them with your wee ones."
Lisa Gregan, Director of Ice Ice Baby
Activity 1: Open Your Eyes
Play the track →
At the very beginning of the performance a young boy is playing with the birds in his garden before they migrate for the winter. He whistles to them, feeds them and they play together.
In rehearsals our bird puppets began as paper bird. We had small ice lolly sticks and cut out wings in light paper to allow for maximum fluttering. We coloured in the wings, stuck them to the stick and hey presto - bird puppets. Why don't you try this? You can download wing shapes to cut out and colour in below.
Activity 2: Jammies On
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In the next scene, we watch our characters do their nightly routine, from bath to bed.
This track is a great song to play in the bath with bubble bath foam and a rubber duck. Equally create a ‘bath’ during imaginative play - burst the bubbles, get clean by scrub-a-dubbing, interact with your rubber duck.
In our show, the brother and sister have a race to see who can get their PJ’s on the fastest. Why don’t you try that with your brother or sister?
Activity 3: Your Own Starlight
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Next, in the performance the audience 'went to sleep' to this song, as a giant paper moon crossed the stage and homemade stars lit up the ‘sky’.
Make your own star lights that you can use at bed time. Lisa says "I play this song for my one-year old song at bed time and he watches the star torch from a far."
How to make homemade stars: use a little circular light (a torch or small battery-powered light), masking tape and black gaffer tape. First, cover the light with a layer of masking tape (this will soften the light), draw a star on the masking tape in pencil, then carefully go around the outside of your star with the black gaffer tape. This will mean that when you shine the torch on the wall or ceiling it'll make the shape of a star.
Activity 4: A Flurry of Snow
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On arrival, everyone in the audience was given a handmade paper snow flake. When it began to snow during the show the audience where encouraged to blow their snowflakes in the air.
You should make some too! Download the method for how to make your own paper snowflakes below.
Activity 5: Umbrella
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The rain comes and washes away the snow. Creating puddles and fun for the brother and sister. They put up their umbrella and jump and splash in puddles.
Using cushions in your living room spread them out and jump from one to the other trying to avoid dry land. We made puddles out of blue paper to splash in and out of whilst singing the Umbrella song.
About the Production
Ice Ice Baby was made and performed by Made In Bristol 8 and Directed by Lisa Gregan. Performed on the Snow Globe set (designed by Katie Sykes). Show Designed by Jennie Davies. Musical Director was Jack Orozco Morrison the Assistant Director was Dale Thrupp. See the original show page here.