ice cream in a bag

It has been a hot summer in Denver, and with the heat comes lots of extra time indoors to avoid the sun. My dad found a clever recipe for making your own ice cream and wanted to try it with the kids. The best part (besides getting ice cream) is that it requires lots of movement from the kids and wears them out!

Supplies needed:
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup half and half
½ teaspoon vanilla extract (or other flavoring)
¼ cup rock salt
Ice
1 gallon-sized Ziploc bag
1 pint-sized Ziploc bag

Fill the gallon Ziploc bag halfway with ice and add in the rock salt. The salt decreases the temperature of the ice, making it cold enough to make ice cream quickly. Mix the sugar, half-and-half, and flavoring in the smaller bag and close it tightly. Bury the smaller bag inside of the ice in the larger bag, making sure it is completely surrounded; add more ice and rock salt if needed. Seal the large bag and wrap it in a towel, then let the kids go crazy jumping and shaking! The ice cream needs to be shaken for at least five minutes. This makes a good serving for two people, and should be eaten right away. My dad and sister enjoyed doing this project with the kids, and the kids really enjoyed the results.