Preview draft. Activities have not been tested with caregivers.
Cooking · The activity desk
Shake and discover butter
Shake pasteurized cream and watch it separate into butter and liquid.
Let's play →
A little plan for play
Open interactive activity →Add to play journal →What you need
Cold pasteurized heavy whipping cream, a clean unbreakable food-safe container with a tight-fitting lid, and a spoon.
Age: 3–5 years; choose for the individual child.
Stay with the child throughout. Check the space and supplies, including anything within reach of younger siblings. Skip any activity that is unsuitable. Stop if a child puts non-food material in their mouth or becomes distressed. Use intact books, full sheets of paper, a large child-appropriate crayon and a clean, dry towel. Follow product labels; remove torn paper and keep broken crayons and caps away from children. Adult handles and stores supplies.
Set up: Check for dairy allergy. Wash hands and the container, then pour in cream until the container is no more than halfway full and secure the lid.
Adult's role: Check and hold the lid, take turns shaking, and handle the liquid and finished butter.
Let's make it happen
- Take turns shaking the closed container. Stop to notice when the cream becomes thick.
- Keep shaking until a lump of butter separates from the liquid. Take breaks whenever needed.
- An adult drains the liquid and serves a small amount of butter, or covers and refrigerates it promptly.
Make it simpler: Watch and listen while an adult shakes, then look at the changes together.
Clean up: Refrigerate the butter promptly in a covered clean container. Wash the container, spoon, and work surface.
Cream contains milk. Use pasteurized cream, keep everything clean, and supervise seated eating. Do not add marbles or other small objects.