It has been hotter than hot around here lately, and I had 22 lbs of ice left over from a BBQ last week — so we made ice cream! This is a fun and easy science experiment you can do with kids of all ages, and there’s a sweet treat to eat at the end. It doesn’t get any better than that!
I put together this recipe by combining several different recipes that I found on Pinterest. I didn’t have any of the dairy products they suggested, so I subbed in coffee creamer — because I ALWAYS have that! Here’s what you need:
Ingredients:
1/2 C. coffee creamer (sweetened) — we used Chocolate Caramel
Ice Cubes
Muscles and/or kids
These supplies make one small serving of ice cream, so if you would like more, multiply it. Each child should have those same ingredients.
Pour 1/2 C. of your favorite coffee creamer into a sandwich bag. Your opportunity for learning fun has begun — show your child the measurement markings on the measuring cup, discuss fractions, allow your child to pour for herself to refine her motor skills.
Seal the sandwich bag well and put the whole thing into a second sandwich bag — we are double bagging this whole thing because ice can be sharp!
Put your double-bagged creamer sandwich bag into a freezer gallon bag.
Add ice. A TON of ice. Keep adding ice until you can just close the gallon bag — but don’t close it yet!
Pour 1/4 C. of coarse salt onto the ice in your bag. More learning fun — discuss how the salt helps the creamer to freeze and become ice cream.
Seal the freezer gallon bag well and put the whole thing in a second freezer gallon bag — because ice can be sharp AND it’s about to get super cold.
Shake your bag. Keep shaking it. Never stop shaking it.
You need to shake for at least 5 minutes straight, preferably closer to 10. L and N eventually got tired and handed their bags off to me. When I just couldn’t shake anymore, I put the bags on the ground and jiggled them back and forth for a while.
When you just can’t shake anymore, open up ALL those bags except for the innermost bag that holds the ice cream. Cut off a corner of the bag and squeeze it into a bowl.
Our ice cream came out just slightly meltier than soft-serve ice cream, which I’m sure is due to our shaking abilities.
L and N both LOVED it, and it was the perfect treat for a hot summer day.
Unfortunately, I now need to make a special grocery trip just to replenish my coffee creamer supply. Oh, the sacrifices you make for motherhood. 😛
Good one, Angela! I use almost everything you post!
So glad to hear! 🙂
What a cute, yummy idea! Thanks for sharing.
This is brilliant! I think e teens would like to do this with the ToddlerMonster!! So rarely do I find activities appropriate for all, with a 16 year age gap!