Make Homemade Butter
You butter believe this activity is a chemistry in disguise! Cream is one of the most versatile ingredients used in cooking because of the many forms it can take. You can pour cream in coffee, add whipped cream to desserts, churn cream into ice cream or, you guessed it, butter!
Materials
Directions
Fill the jar halfway with cream.
Secure the lid on the jar and start shaking. You may need to take turns with someone if your arm gets tired. The cream should make a sloshing sound.
When the sloshing sound stops, remove the lid and check for whipped cream.
Put the lid back on and continue shaking until the mixture separates into buttermilk and butter.
Remove the solid butter and enjoy it on a piece of toast. You can drink the buttermilk or save it for baking!
Talk About It
Talk with your child about the chemical reaction that creates butter: When shaken, the tiny fat molecules in the cream smash against each other and form clumps. These clumps are your butter! As you take turns shaking the jar, talk about the changes you notice with your child. What does the cream look like before you start shaking it? What does it look like during the process? Is the process reversible – can butter be turned back into cream?
Explore Further
Explore other ways to turn liquids into solids, or solids into liquids. Try making popsicles, or melting chocolate. Are these changes reversible? Try it and find out! Materials can change in many other ways – they can be dissolved, mixed together, dried up, or broken apart. Do some more experimenting in the kitchen to see what you can discover!
Science