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Summer Boredom Buster Idea for Children: Shake It Up Ice Cream

ByShannon L. Mokry

Summer is the perfect time for fun and creativity. If you’re looking for an engaging activity that doubles as a delicious treat, Shake It Up Ice Cream is ideal. This hands-on project keeps kids entertained and introduces basic science principles, resulting in a sweet, creamy reward.

Pro-mom tip, read some books to them while they are shaking, the shaking park can get tedious, especially for the younger kids.

What You’ll Need:

  • Ingredients:
    • 1/2 cup of milk
    • 1/2 cup of half-and-half or heavy cream
    • 2-4 tablespoons of granulated sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or other extract)
    • Ice
    • 1/3 cup of salt (rock salt is best)
    • (for chocolate add 1 T chocolate syrup in place of vanilla extract)
  • Supplies:
    • 1 quart-sized resealable plastic bag
    • 1 gallon-sized resealable plastic bag
    • Dish towel or gloves
    • Measuring cups and spoons

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Ice Cream Mixture:
    • Combine the milk and the half-and-half (or heavy cream), sugar, and vanilla in the quart-sized bag. Seal tightly.
  2. Set Up the Ice Bath:
    • Fill the gallon-sized bag halfway with ice and add salt.
  3. Combine and Shake:
    • Place the quart-sized bag inside the gallon-sized bag. Seal tightly.
    • Wrap in a dish towel or use gloves. Shake vigorously for 5-10 minutes.
  4. Enjoy Your Ice Cream:
    • Open the bags carefully and scoop the ice cream into bowls or cones. Add desired toppings.

Choosing Flavors:

To make it even more fun, give your flavors book-themed names! Here are some suggestions based off of my books:

  • “Silly Sisters Triple Chocolate Delight“: Chocolate ice cream with white, milk, and dark chocolate chips.
  • “Little Fox’s Peppermint Bark Surprise“: Peppermint ice cream with dark chocolate chunks and crushed peppermint candies.
  • “The Pink Elephant’s Strawberry Dream”: Vanilla ice cream with strawberry pieces and marshmallow cream swirled in.
  • “Purple Porcupine’s Blueberry Lavender Dream”: Blueberry ice cream with a hint of lavender and white chocolate chips.
  • “Llama’s Mango Pineapple Paradise”: Mango ice cream with chunks of pineapple and a hint of coconut.
  • “Little Donkey’s Cinnamon Churro Swirl”: Cinnamon ice cream with swirls of caramel and bits of churro pieces.
  • “Little Panda’s Curious Vanilla “: Classic vanilla ice cream with colorful sprinkles.
  • “The Middlest Giraffe’s Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips”: Creamy peanut butter ice cream with chocolate chips.
  • “Gardenian Delight”: Rose-flavored ice cream with a hint of lemon.
  • “Little Bee’s Honey Crunch”: Honey swirled ice cream with crushed vanilla Oreo’s
  • “The Sloth’s Mint Dream”: Mint ice cream with a swirl of green food coloring and white chocolate chips.
  • “Jerry’s S’mores Favorite”: Chocolate Ice cream with marshmallow cream and pieces of graham cracker.

More Tips for Success:

  • Experiment with Flavors: Add your solid extra’s at the end or the mixture won’t solidify. For liquid flavors consider if vanilla will go with your choices or if you want to replace it
  • Keep It Moving: Constant shaking prevents ice crystals from forming, ensuring smooth ice cream.
  • Stay Dry: Ensure the quart-sized bag is sealed well to prevent salty water from getting into your ice cream.

Shake It Up Ice Cream is a fun and educational activity that will keep kids entertained and rewarded with a delicious treat. Gather your ingredients, shake it up, and enjoy your homemade, book-themed ice cream!

More Summer Fun:

Looking for more Boredom Buster Ideas check out my dedicated page: My Top 10 Summer Boredom Busters Series – Sillygeese Publishing

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