This is the butter making lesson that I do with 3 & 4 year olds. Definitely can be used on children of any age that has never churned butter.
Supplies:
Bowl of milk set out of fridge for two nights, covered. A warm place works well.
Heavy cream
Small Jars (baby jars work well)
Pictures of animals (list below)
Pictures of food (list below)
Plastic glove
2 TBSP milk
Water
Slotted Spoon
Crackers
First get them focused and interested by playing a "game"
"What is your favorite animal"? Let them answer one at a time ( laugh and have fun)
"Lets play an animal game".
Put a picture of several animals on the table and name them together with the kids. ( I never tell them they are wrong but I gently correct them by suggestion)
"What is your favorite food"? Let them answer one at a time (laugh and have fun)
Put pictures of food on the table and name them together with the kids.
One at a time, let them choose one food item and match it to the animal. Here is a suggested list:
sheep
cow
goat
chicken
duck
butter
cheese
glass of milk
eggs
chicken fingers
Use real food instead of pictures for extra fun :)
After you play the game tell them that today you are going to show them how to make butter.
Ask "Which animal does butter come from"? for reinforcement. Tell the children that many years ago or when their grandparents where children, the job of butter churning was theirs. It was very time consuming and parents had other chores to attend to.
"Before you make butter you have to get the milk from the animal". (You can use a plastic glove filled with water and a little milk for color. Put a pinhole in the tip of the fingers and gently squeeze milk into a pail)
"Next you have to clean the milk". (Put a piece of cheese cloth or other cloth and place it over a mason jar. Pour the milk through to clean it of debris)
"Now put the clean milk in a bowl". Explain that the milk would sit overnight with a cover on it so the heavier cream can come to the top.
Put the bowl in a safe place.
Bring out the bowl that you had set out two nights before.
Show the kids the thicker cream on the top. Might be just a film but that is o.k.
Show the kids how to gently skim the film with the slotted spoon and put the cream in a jar.
After everyone has had a chance to skim some cream. Look at the contents of the jar and talk about how it is different from the milk in the bowl. Some words you can use thicker, thinner. Smell it. Touch it.
Now that you have cream you can pass out a small jar (baby jar works well) with a little heavy cream bought from the store in each jar. Have the kids shake the jar until it coagulates into butter. As they shake the jar, tell them when kids used to make butter on the farm, they would chant "Come butter come, Come butter come, Peter stands at the gate waiting for his butter cake" Churning butter took many hours and the song helped the time pass.
When the butter is done - eat on crackers.
Have Fun and Enjoy!
