DIY Ice Cream

How long it’ll take: 30 min

What the goal is: Campers will make homemade ice cream!

What the objectives are: Campers will discover how ice and rock salt work together to freeze their ice cream

What you’ll need:

Materials:

**This activity is an alternate cooking activity. Instructors can spend some budget on ingredients but should source items like ice and coffee cans (OR another tightly sealing container, OR a very sturdy freezer-style plastic bag) from a family who has these at their home. Work with parents the day before to make sure they have these items or a good substitute. Instructors can bring used coffee cans of their own to use also.

A 1 lb coffee can with a tight-fitting plastic lid, OR another tightly-sealing container, OR sturdy freezer-style (double zipper) ziploc bag.

Duct Tape (if using coffee can)

Crushed ice (or ice cubes broken into smaller pieces)

A 3 lb coffee can with a tight-fitting plastic lid OR another large tightly-sealing container, OR a sturdy freezer-style (double zipper) ziploc bag

9 Tablespoons rock salt

Ingredients for Ice Cream:

1 pint half-n-half

1/3 cup brown sugar or honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract OR 2 Tablespoons chocolate syrup

Optional: 1/2 cup chopped fruit (softer fruits such as berries or peaches work best)

Supplies:

Bowls or cups (reuseable if available, otherwise use paper)

spoons (reuseable if available)

Measuring cups & spoons

What you’ll do:

1. In a mixing bowl, add all Ice Cream ingredients: half n half, sugar or honey, flavorings and/or fruit. Stir until mixture is well combined and sugar is dissolved.

2. Pour the ice cream ingredients into the smaller coffee can or a double-zipper ziploc bag.

· Put the lid snugly on the coffee can and tape it closed with duct tape for security, or make sure the bag is completely sealed.

3. Pour crushed ice into the larger coffee can to come one inch up the sides, or fill the outer ziploc bag halfway with crushed ice. Place the smaller coffee can or inner bag (with the ice cream ingredients) on top of ice inside larger coffee can or bag.

4. Pour more crushed ice into the larger can or outer bag until it comes one inch up the sides of small can.

· Sprinkle the ice with about 3 T of rock salt.

· Add another inch of ice and another 3 T of rock salt.

· Fill the rest of the large can or outer bag with crushed ice and sprinkle the remaining salt on it.

5. Place lid on large can and secure it with tape as you did the small can. Or, make sure the outer bag is tightly sealed.

6. Now the fun begins! Find a partner or partners and roll the can. If using a coffee can, you can gently kick the can back and forth, sit on the ground and gently roll it back and forth, or roll it between 2 sticks. If using bags, you can gently move and shake the bag around.

· Move the can or bag consistently for about 10 minutes, then check to see if the ice cream is hardening up (don’t take the inner can or bag completely out of the larger one). The ice cream won’t be as hard as the stuff you get in the freezer section of the grocery but it should be thick and frosty like soft serve ice cream. If it’s too runny, place the inner bag back into the bag of ice. Seal everything back up, and shake or roll around for another 10 mintues.

· When the ice cream starts to freeze and turns to a frosty, thick consistency, scoop it out and serve.

Game Options

· Kick the Can- Designate one person as IT. Place a can or similar object in the middle of the play area. The IT person should count to 30 while everyone else goes to hide. Be sure to set boundaries before letting the campers loose. The IT uncovers their eyes and tries to find and tag everyone else. Anyone who is tagged must go to the jail which can be marked off by a rope or cones near the can. Anyone who hasn’t been caught can try to sneak out of their hiding spot, run to the can, and kick it or tip it over. If anyone is successful in this, everyone who is in jail is set free. The game continues until everyone is in jail or until it is time to designate a new IT. Players in jail should roll the ice cream can around, helping the ice cream to form.

· Kick the Can Variation- When the IT spots someone, instead of tagging them the IT must say, “I see you Suzy.” Then it’s a race between the IT and Suzy to see who gets back and kicks the can first. If the IT wins, Suzy is in the jail. If Suzy wins, Suzy gets to free one person from jail. Players in jail should roll the ice cream can around, helping the ice cream to form.

· Camouflage: Establish one person as the IT. The IT person stands in an established place and counts to 30 with their eyes closed. During this time, everyone else runs away and hides. Hiders must be able to see the IT person from their hiding spot (i.e. they can’t just hide behind a tree nearby and stay completely out of view). The IT person opens their eyes and gets to make one full rotation, trying to spot as many people as they can. If they spot someone, they can either yell out their name or yell out some article of clothing, i.e., “I see someone with a yellow shirt behind the rock over there.” If you’re spotted, you are out for that round. Once the IT person makes one full rotation, they close their eyes again and count to 20. Everyone who hasn’t been spotted yet has to move to a new and closer hiding spot. The IT then gets to open their eyes and make another full rotation. For the last round, the IT person sits down in their spot with their eyes closed and a blindfold on. Anyone remaining has unlimited time to sneak out of their hiding space and creep up to the IT person, trying to touch them without being heard. The IT person may not open his or her eyes but must try to listen for anyone approaching. If they hear a sound, they can point in that direction. If it is clear that they heard a sound and they are correct in their approximate direction, that person creeping up is out. Play until someone tags the IT person or until there’s no one left. The last person remaining becomes the IT person for the next round. Players who are spotted by the IT person and are no longer hiding should roll the ice cream can around, helping the ice cream to form.

· Camouflage variation: The 1^st and 2^nd rounds are identical to normal Camouflage. Then, instead of a different 3^rd round, the 3^rd round is similar to the first two rounds. Everyone must find another closer hiding spot and the IT person still gets on full rotation. If there’s more than one person remaining after the 3^rd round, have them rock-paper-scissors to see who gets to be the IT person for the next game. Players who are spotted by the IT person and are no longer hiding should roll the ice cream can around, helping the ice cream to form.

+Source: Camp Out: The Ultimate Kids’ Guide From the Backyard to the Backwoods. By Lynn Brunelle; Illustrated by Brian Biggs; Workman Publishing, New York, 2007