From Early Stories to Today · Drawing 28
The kitchen icebox
Long ago
Before refrigerators, an icebox kept food cool with a block of ice. The ice had to be replaced as it melted.
Look together
Where is the block of ice?
An idea to try
Watch an ice cube on a small plate for a few minutes. Your child describes the changes and connects them with the block inside the icebox.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Before refrigerators became widespread, people kept food cool using blocks of ice. Ice tongs from Maison Saint-Gabriel, described in the Collections Marguerite-Bourgeoys, show the work of handling these blocks. Ice came from places including frozen bodies of water. The preserved object helps explain this stage of supply.
The drawing focuses on a kitchen icebox. Help your child distinguish the cabinet, food and cooling block. Ask what happens when ice melts and why it needs replacing. The conversation concerns the principle shown; it does not suggest keeping food in a homemade cooling arrangement.
Sources and context
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.
Source review: 2026-09-12. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.