All of my life I have learned that Science can be informative as well as entertaining. And I think that’s why it was my favorite subject in school. You can do so much with a little knowledge of what’s what and how things work just by experimenting. And there’s nothing greater than the combination of food and Science. And good clean fun. But how does this work exactly? Well, ice keeps everything cold because absorbs heat energy from its surroundings. And liquid’s freezing point turns it into a solid. So when the salt is added to the ice the temperature lowers and the ice melts. In conclusion, the temperature of the mixture drops and it freezes.
Most people would agree that eating ice cream can be fun. So what’s better than eating some out of a carton? The simple answer is making your own inside of a plastic bag. This neat trick is not only entertaining, but it’s also scientific. You will in fact be a part of your very own science project. Which is a great way to get kids more interested in Science in general. And it is always good to get the kids more involved in the kitchen.
Here is the list of ingredients that you will need:
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups coarse salt
1 bag of crushed ice
1 pint-size plastic food storage bag
1 gallon-size plastic food storage bag
1 hand towel to keep your fingers from freezing up
The first step involves filling the larger bag with the crushed ice. And you add the course salt in there as well.
Next, place the milk, sugar, and vanilla into the smaller bag and make sure it is tightly sealed. Then place the smaller bag into the larger bag and seal it up.
Now is the time to start shaking and mixing. You will also have to massage the mixture so the ice cream can form. So don’t forget to use the hand towel in the shaking process. The bags will becoming extremely cold after all of the shaking. And this part is something that the kids will definitely enjoy. Have them toss the bag around until their heart’s content.
In about ten minutes you will have great tasting ice cream. If the ice cream hasn’t formed in about ten minutes, you can add more ice and salt to the outer bag. And make sure you remove the larger bag before opening the smaller one. You don’t want the salt to get into your ice cream. It melts really quickly so make sure you eat it fast. If you are worried about the mess from the water melting, you could keep some paper and hand towels nearby. Or you could do this activity outside; I think the kiddies would enjoy that.
How about changing up the flavor? You may want to add chocolate milk instead. Or you can even add half-and-half. I’ve seen Root Beer versions as well as Mint flavored versions. Chocolate syrup can be added before or after the shaking process. And afterwards you may want to add sprinkles, nuts, crushed chocolate chip cookies, and cherries.
You can even make fruit sorbets if you are allergic to milk. Adding orange juice, strawberries, and pineapple juice is just one combination that you can try. There really is no wrong way to make this. You just have to have fun and go wild.
