As water cools closer and closer to zero degrees the strength of hydrogen bonds becomes

higher than the kinetic energy of the water molecules, the hydrogen bonds are long so they
hold the water molecules further apart than they would be when they are just bouncing off
each other in the hotter liquid.
At 4 degrees centigrade the hydrogen bond effect begins to override the kinetic movement of
the water molecules.
Imagine a crowd of schoolchildren in the playground and you instruct them to run around
with their arms out wide trying to hold hands with straight arms.
they start by running around wildly, bouncing off each other and not managing to hold
hands for any significant amount of time, this is water at room temperature.
Now instruct them to slow down, two will be able to hold hands until a third bumps into the
pair and makes them separate, this is water approaching 4 degrees.
As they get slower and slower they will be able to hold hands for longer and longer and no
longer get close enough to bounce off each other at zero degrees they will be all locked
together simulating ice.