Making Butter

Understanding where food comes from is an important concept for kids. This fun activity will allow your toddler to take part in the creation of a food used frequently.  Not only will they develop an interest in how their foods are created, they will expend some energy and learn that materials can change their state, in this case going from a liquid to a solid.

Activity Instructions

Put a marble inside each bottle (one bottle and marble per child). Next, pour heavy cream into each bottle and screw the lid on tight. You may also tape the lid to ensure that the cream remains in the bottle during the butter making process.

After the lids are secure, give the bottles to your children and instruct them to shake them. Allow them to shake, roll, and move the bottles however they see fit. Have them listen for the sound of the marble rolling around within the bottle.

As they are shaking, pull out a tub of butter and talk about the differences between the cream and the butter. Explain that, after they are done, they will have butter in their bottles. When the marbles go silent, the butter is starting to form. At this point, encourage your kids to keep shaking. Soon they will be able to see the butter that they are creating. When the butter is finished, pull it out and let your kids have a taste.

You may wish to also explain that butter tastes good, but is very high in fat and can cause us to gain weight if we use too much.    How them how to put butter on a piece of toast and then scrape most of it off, to get the flavor without as many of the calories.   

Materials

• Plastic bottles (make sure that the opening is large enough to fit a marble and the finished butter)
• ½ pint of heavy cream per bottle
• 1 marble per bottle
• Tape

Outcome

This science activity will open your children’s eyes to how things are made and understand how a liquid can transform to a solid.