Drift ice

Drift ice is like ice that floats on top of the water, kind of like when you fill up your glass with water and put some ice cubes in it, but much bigger. It is made of frozen water that can be found in oceans or large lakes. The ice is called "drift" because it moves around with the current of the water, kind of like when you play with a toy boat in the bathtub.

Drift ice is formed when the temperature drops below freezing. This means that the water starts to freeze and turns into ice. The ice that is formed on the top of the water doesn't stay in one spot because of the movement of the water. So, as the water moves, the ice moves with it, and this is called "drifting".

Sometimes, when it is really cold, there can be a lot of drift ice in the water, and it can be kind of dangerous for boats and ships to travel through it because the ice can bump into the sides of the boats and cause damage. This is why some areas have a "drift ice warning" so that boats and ships can avoid it if they need to.

Drift ice can also be really pretty to look at because it looks like big icebergs floating around in the water. In some places, people can even go out on boats to see the drift ice up close (but make sure you have a grown-up with you!).